Geek to Greek
by Charlotte-xoxo
Summary: A geeky Edward is convinced that when it comes to best friend Bella he doesnt stand a chance... until he finds a magazine article that begs to differ. Going back to school after Spring Break he has an all new image, but is it enough to win Bella's heart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Time to Change

**AN: This is my first fan-fic so please be nice. More later…**

EPOV

"Eddie?"

I turned at the sound of her voice and there she was. The most beautiful person on the planet… Isabella Swan. She was the reason that I even went to school anymore. I was what my mother had lovingly coined as a 'reluctant genius' and had finished all of my finals in my junior year. I was now a senior and I could have headed off to university early but I didn't want to leave. I had stayed for Bella, my best friend and oblivious love of my life, so that I could graduate with her and the rest of my family. My twin sister, by date of birth only because we were nothing at all alike, was also a senior along with her boyfriend Jasper and his twin sister Rosalie. My big brother Emmett, who should have graduated last year, had flunked his finals to repeat his final year and to graduate with Rosalie who he had been dating since they had met as freshman. We all lived in the small town of Forks, Washington and attended the local school, Forks High School.

"Hey," I said, smiling timidly at her. "Have a good date?" I internally winced at the word, but reminded myself that she would never like me that way and was free to date whoever she liked, even a douche bag like Mike Newton.

"No, it was awful." Her face fell and I felt a stab of anger and anxiety. What had he done! If he hurt her I would make sure he never had the chance to reproduce. She must have seen some of the emotion I felt flicker across my face because she hurriedly continued. "No, no! Nothing like that Eddie, he was just really boring." I sighed, relieved that I wouldn't have to confront Mike. I didn't like to fight with people; I generally just kept my head down and let them do what they liked. Unfortunately, this often involved me, since I wasn't exactly the coolest kid in school.

I was a geek, plain and simple. I wore thick, black rimmed glasses and boring, baggy shirts. I was thin, tall and quiet and, unless you had blond hair and Adonis-like good looks like Jasper, that combination meant that you had to be either a geek or gay. Since I was certainly not gay I had let the 'popular group' label me as a geek and pretty soon that was what I had become. I wasn't happy about it, but I didn't get too much stick because of my brother and sister. Emmett thought he owned the school, and to be fair to him he probably did. Rosalie was head cheerleader and sure in for Prom Queen. Jasper was the suave, calm guy that every guy wanted to be and every girl wanted to be with. And Alice, well what can I say… it was just impossible to not like her. She was bubbly and fun loving, bordering on hyper, and she was everyone's best friend.

Their combined influence meant that I was untouchable as far as pranks and physical abuse went, but it didn't stop the snide comments and laughs I got in the halls between classes. Alice had tried more than once to help me improve my street-cred but I resisted, turning instead to the library for comfort. That had been where I had met Bella.

She had arrived from out of state in the second semester of my junior year, and had immediately made an impression. Her combination of selfless humility and beauty had allowed her to keep to herself and have a chance at breaking into the popular crowd, but she had chosen to shun the advances of the plastic wannabe Rosalie's, Jessica and Lauren, and talk to me instead. She had approached me in the library, we had discovered a joint love of Debussy and Jane Austen and we had been best friends ever since.

I had been content to be her friend, considering my dramatic lack of them, until the start of the new school year. Suddenly, I had begun to notice the difference in my feelings; I started to feel jealous when a guy asked her out and feel urges to kiss her when her face got a little bit too close to mine. Gradually, over a period of about three months, I had realised that I was in love with her. The only problem was that she was an angel and I was a dorky geek.

I looked down at my red and white plaid shirt and grimaced. I would never be good enough for her.

"Eddie," she said my name unsurely. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah," I smiled up at her and held out my arm for her to take. "Walk you to class?"

"Always!" she said, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. She slid her arm around mine and gently squeezed my forearm. "Let's go."

* * *

The rest of the day passed quickly, the usual taunts and laughs at my clothes and glasses washing over my head. It was the last day of school before Spring Break and, although I wouldn't see Bella for a whole week, I wouldn't miss the constant torment of my fellow students.

I quickly packed up my books at the end of Spanish, gave Bella a goodbye hug and rushed out of school to catch a lift home with Alice and Jasper. They were talking to Lauren Mallory, one of Rosalie's mini-mes and Tyler Crowley, another equally obnoxious guy with a serious superiority complex. I waited a few metres away until they had finished talking and then got into the back of Alice's yellow Porsche Turbo. My own car, a beautiful vintage Volvo, was in Rosalie's garage having been involved in an unfortunate incident involving Lauren's Mercedes and a lake. She claimed that she had done nothing and I had agreed not to press charges but my poor car was un-drivable.

When we arrived at the house I went straight to the pool, and lay in one of the loungers reading until it went dark. I couldn't see the point of having a pool in one of the wettest, dreariest places on Earth but, as my mother Esme had pointed out, it was nice to pretend we had some sun, even when we didn't.

I was lying there, watching the sky darken when I saw one of Alice's girly magazines lying on the deck beside the lounger. I picked it up, intending to take it inside to stop it getting it wet if…no scratch that, when it rained, and flipped languidly through the pages. One article in particular caught my attention as the word 'GEEK' flashed past my eyes in a shocking shade of neon pink. It was to dark to make out much of the writing, so I got up and headed into the house.

Once inside I opened up the magazine to that page again.

'GEEK TO GREEK IN 7 DAYS' it said boldly. Intrigued I read on:

'Is your man gorgeous on the inside but in need of a bit of hottying **(AN: I don't think this a word and if it's not I'm claiming it.)** up on the surface. Do you have a Greek God with no self-confidence who could do with a helping hand to let his inner sexiness shine through. If yes, follow our 10 simple steps to help him release his inner Adonis.'

Hmm, I wasn't a girl, but I was a guy who needed help. Neither was I a God underneath my boring exterior, but it couldn't hurt to give it a go. Hell, Bella might even like it if I looked less geek-like.

With that my mind was made up, if I couldn't transform myself into an Adonis, I could at least try to impress Bella. Goodbye geeky, weedy Eddie…Hello confident, studly Edward!

I jumped up from my seat at the breakfast bar and went to find Alice. I was going to need some help!

**AN: Please press that gorgeous green button just under this and tell me what you think. I will read, reply to and cherish each individually, even if it just says: 'This was shit!' I would love to know whether it's any good or really awful and if I have a chance in this fan-fic writing shizzle. I love criticism and advice almost as much as praise, it helps motivate me, so do your worst. Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thankyou so much to everyone who reviewed on the first chapter, and I hope I don't disappoint you.** **Sort of short I know, but I haven't had a lot of writing time today, it's nearly midnight in Britain. lol Bear with me in this chapter, the good stuff will come once i've done the transformation.**

RECAP:

With that my mind was made up, if I couldn't transform myself into an Adonis, I could at least try to impress Bella. Goodbye geeky, weedy Eddie…Hello confident, studly Edward!

I jumped up from my seat at the breakfast bar and went to find Alice. I was going to need some help!

Chapter 2: Alice/Steps 1&2

APOV

I screamed and fell off the back of my bed. I had just had another of my…well I guess you could call them 'feelings'. This time it was a strong one, an un-nerving sense that something huge was about to change in our lives. Almost instantly I heard, rather than saw, Jasper come racing into the room and ask me what was wrong.

"Help Jazzy," I whispered, wincing slightly. "I fell off the bed and hurt my arse."

If it had been anyone else I would have expected them to have laughed at me but Jasper always made a real fuss of me. It was one of things that I loved about him, he was so quiet and aloof most of the time but he could be a total romantic when I needed him to be. He walked quickly over to where I was lying on my back trying to sit up and lifted me gently into his arms, bringing his lips down to caress mine softly before pulling away. The feel of his warm body pressing against mine as he held me bridal style was too much to resist and I reached up with both hands, pulling his face back down to mine, which effectively pushed any thought of my strange feelings and inclinations from my mind. Jasper reciprocated my actions instantly by pulling me closer, releasing one of his hands from around my waist and fisting it in my short, black hair.

I was so engrossed in the kiss that I nearly didn't hear Edward soft voice calling to me from downstairs. However, I pushed the potential distraction from my mind and deepened my kiss with Jasper even more, breathing heavily as our tongues danced to the rhythm of my pounding heart.

Too soon Jasper pulled away from me, panting almost as much as I was as he turned his head towards the door, listening.

"Allie, Edward wants you." He said sounding annoyed, placing me down on my bed as he turned his head back to look at me. "He wants your help with something. I've got to go and pick Rose up from cheerleading coz Emmett's got football practise till 5:00, see you later babe!" His handsome features softened abruptly and he leaned down to give me one last affectionate peck on the cheek, then he was gone. I jumped up from my bed and ran to the door, a strange sense of anticipation filling my body as I replied to Edward's calls.

"I'm in my room Edwina!" I called, giggling as I heard him grumbling softly at my use of one of his much hated nicknames as he climbed the stairs. He would never say anything about it though; he was just too shy to tell anyone that he hated most of the names they came up with for him, especially when Bella called him Eddie since he was quite literally willing to jump off a cliff for her anyway. He was so shy that he hadn't had the heart to tell our mom that he hated the nickname she had used for him for the past fifteen years. 'Eddykins' was just too damn nice for his own good.

After a minute or two Edward was leaning against my doorpost, waiting shyly for me to invite him in, whistling a tune that I had never heard before.

"What's that you're whistling Ed?" I asked curiously. "Is it a new piece you're writing."

"Yeah, it's called Bella's Lullaby." He said sheepishly, his eyes glazing over as his face took on the dreamy, dazed expression he got when he was thinking about Bella.

I snapped my fingers in front of his face impatiently snapping him out of his trance.

"Come on! I haven't got all day." I said quickly. "I'm going shopping and I don't want to miss the Hollister sale. There is a gorgeous t-shirt in there that is screaming my name." Now it was my turn to get a bit dreamy, I had been waiting for this sale for months. Not even my socially backward *twin* (check) was going to stand in my way. What do you want my help with?"

"Well…" Damn, he looked really nervous; it must be something really big. Is he being bullied again? Nobody bullies my baby brother (only by fifteen minutes but it still counts) and lives! "I found this article in one of your magazines."

EPOV

"Well…I found this article in one of your magazines." I pulled out the small slip of paper I had ripped out of the magazine and handed it to Alice. She looked puzzled and then as she read the title she began to look pissed off.

"Eddie, I don't have time to teach you Greek right now, I'm late for a mall crawl with Rose." I laughed out loud at her bluntness and then explained.

"No Allie, I want your help to impress Bella. I want to change my image and try to tell her how I feel. Will you help?" I waited anxiously for her answer because her help, and Rosalie's, would be crucial.

"Oh. My. God. Of course I'll help! Rose too! It's about time you started acting like the super-cool-Cullen that you are." She ran all the words together in a hurry and grabbed the article from my hands.

* * *

Step 1: Define your individual style.

Twenty minutes later Alice, Rose and I were driving to the mall in Rose's Merc. I had done as the magazine directed and filled in a short questionnaire to find out which style would suit the purpose of my new image – to impress a girl. We… we being Alice, had finally decided that I should be aiming for a 'bad boy' image, whatever the hell that is meant to mean. We were now on our way to replace my entire wardrobe. According to Alice I needed to buy new boxers too for reasons unfathomable to anyone who is not a 5'2" pixie with an as yet undiagnosed hyperactivity disorder. At least that's my opinion; Jasper claims that she just gets over excited.

* * *

Step 2: Re-stock your wardrobe.

My feet and forearms burned as I leant against the window of yet another shop that I didn't even want to know the name of. I had been dragged into so many shops that I had lost count at thirty. I had finally drawn the line when Allie and Rose tried to pull me into Victoria's Secret and I had spent the last two hours waiting outside shops instead of in them. It was slightly less painful for all involved this way. Alice had bought more than twice the clothes that I'd had to start with and I wasn't exactly sure where I was going to put them because I knew my wardrobe certainly wasn't big enough.

I hadn't even looked at one thing that Alice had bought for me, I had just shut my eyes near the mirrors as I tried stuff on and prayed that Alice knew what she was doing. Instead, I had thought of Bella and reminded myself every time I felt like telling Alice where she could stuff her t-shirts that it was all for her, and for nobody else.

Finally Alice and Rose came out of the last shop, I think it was called 'Choice' or something, and we went home to start work on the next step, cutting my hair.

**AN: Hope you like it and I didn't completely ruin it for you. As i said up at the top somewhere, I promise if you bear with me I will get to the more exciting bit. Promise! I just need a few chapters to 'initiate the transformation'. Please review, no matter what you think. I will love and reply to each and every one. I hope… Thanks!**

**PS. - I'm sorry for not being more specific on the shops, I'm British and haven't got a lot of experience with American malls or shops. Hollister, American Eagle and VS are the only ones I know, and they weren't exactly what I wanted for 'Edward's new wardrobe'.**

**Love Charlotte-xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Ok, so I wasn't planning on updating today because I've been ill and had a lot of work to do, but we have had a ton of snow and I'm stuck at home so… may I present Chapter 3. Oh and completely forgot about this last time so:**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing, which is why I'm currently sitting naked in an internet cafe. I'm getting some pretty funny looks, I can tell you.**

**(Please note that I **_**am**_** joking and that this is not a disclaimer of my own making, I saw it somewhere else and thought you guys might like it!!!)**

**I also wanted to thank everyone who reviewed and alerted this story; I am so shocked by the amazing response. I didn't expect more than two or three reviews and last time I checked I had twenty, so thank you so much!**

**I should probably go now… let you get on with reading and such!**

**PS. Special thanks to '****unltimatetwihard513' and 'Someoneyoudon'tknowprobably' who made me laugh so much I fell off my chair, and to 'Sarah Rudolph' because without her nagging (and no I don't mind at all, sometimes it must be done!) this chapter wouldn't have been posted for days.**

**Caution: Some strong language in this chapter, I was angry when I wrote it, I hope I don't offend anyone.**

RECAP: Finally Alice and Rose came out of the last shop, I think it was called 'Choice' or something, and we went home to start work on the next step, cutting my hair.

Chapter 4: Emmett/Steps 3-5

EPOV

"I'm all done Edward." Alice called from somewhere over my shoulder as she finished straightening up the last chunk of my hair across my forehead. She waltzed round to my front and handed me the waste paper bin she had dumped most of my hair into. I looked in and gasped, there was a hell of a lot of hair in it. She had been hacking away for an hour or so but I hadn't thought she'd taken that much off.

"What the fuck have you gone and done Allie?" I squeaked, my voice sounding a lot higher than I had intended. "You've chopped it all off! Am I bald?" I asked the last part as a tentative question, not sure that I wanted to know the answer.

"No, budiùlo!" she said sounding way to cheerful. **(AN: budiùlo = arsehole in Italian)** I not really sure why Alice does that, swearing in other languages I mean. She claims that it's so that nobody understands her, despite the fact that we've heard all her usual ones so many times before that the point is kind of moot now. "It looks great now shut up and look at it yourself."

She spun my chair around and pointed into the mirror opposite us as if I was some kind of imbecile. Then I lost my train of thought as I stared at the guy in the mirror. His hair looked nothing like mine, yet I could still see that horrible muddy bronze colour than my mom loved starting to appear as the top part of my hair dried.

It looked good! The bronze tone to it didn't look as ugly and odd as it normally did. It was quite short, about shirt collar length and all messy at the front. If you just took the hair on its own and photo shopped out my face it could look half decent on a runway model or something.

I turned to Alice and pulled her into a tight bear hug; no where near as tight as Emmett could hug you if he tried but heartfelt and affectionate anyway. Alice wriggled in my arms before giggling softly to herself. She poked my stomach then whispered something softly to herself which sounded like: "Step five in the bag," but it could have been anything.

A few seconds later we both heard the door open and the sound of booming laughter filled the house. Alice smacked my chest as hard as she could, which never really hurt, and wriggled out of my arms to go and see Jasper. He had gone out again to get Emmett from football since Emmett had lost his car keys… again!

I heard Alice chattering animatedly to Emmett in the living room, presumably telling him about my 'plan' since we needed his help with the next stage. Nervously, worried about what stupid-arse comment Emmett would make about it, I flattened my hair and sauntered into the living room with a much more confident smile than my nerves would like.

"But Allie, he doesn't… Shit!" Emmett's words trailed off as he caught sight of me standing awkwardly by the sofa, waiting for his reaction. Rosalie smirked and air-high-fived Alice from across the breakfast bar, she'd just come out of the shower room and was in danger of losing her towel as she latched herself on to Emmett's arm. "Allie, you did good girl!"

I had to laugh then, if just at the expression on his face. Now I know that Emmett's not the sharpest Crayola in the packet, but he looked just then like he'd seen a body-popping koala just in front of me. (AN: Sorry if that's not what floats your boat as far as funny is concerned, I was tired when I wrote this and it seemed pretty funny to me at the time so…)

"What Em?" I asked, still laughing. "Forget your meds again?"

"No!" he said, as softly as is ever possible for a guy of Emmett's size. "It's just that you look…" He broke off, seeming unable to find the right word to describe me. "…non geek-like!" he finished only slightly lamely.

"Thanks Emmett," I said, feeling very self-conscious all of a sudden. "Has Alice told you about my crazy plan yet?" I hoped she had, I certainly didn't want to have to try and explain it to the walking, and more than slightly immature, mountain.

"Yeah. So up for it when you're ready dude!"

"Cool!" I said, before turning to Alice. "Step three?" I tried to make my voice sound nonchalant and confident but it came out as a question.

"Step three." She confirmed, and then reached out to grab my hand, pulling me back into her room.

Step 3: Get Comfortable With Your Body

Twenty minutes later I was standing alone in Alice's room wearing nothing but my boxers. Now I know what you're thinking, but the article said that I should spend time looking at myself and identifying the bits I liked and the bits I wanted to improve.

I just stood there staring into Alice's floor length mirror, not really having a clue what I was looking for but trying really hard to avoid letting my eyes drift below my shoulders, when I noticed that my eyes and my hair colour matched. It was odd really, that I'd never noticed that before, my mom always told me stuff like that but I never believed her.

Then I realised something that floored my completely. My nose really wasn't as big or crooked as I had always thought. My eyes were still too close together though, and my mouth was just awful. When I smiled it was all crooked and off centre. God, I sound like a girl! Still, it wasn't as bad as I had first thought; maybe this finding your best features thing was actually going to work.

Since looking at my face, uncomfortable as it was, hadn't actually made been run away screaming, I slowly traced my eyes down to the ridges and curves of my chest and stomach. Oh God! I'm sure that bit in the middle isn't meant to look like that, and aren't men usually meant to have six or eight distinct pectoral muscles visible. I've got about twelve oddly shaped hexagons. I'm sure that's not meant to happen! And just look at those arms. They look so… actually, they look quite good; they're the right shape and not overly puny either.

Actually, all things considered, that v-shape in my hips and disappearing under my boxers that girls would die for is pretty well defined. Wow, I should have looked at myself before now; I'm making myself feel good. I've got a lot of work to do though!

I realised then that I had been staring without moving for a while, at least fifteen minutes, so I turned towards the door and called Emmett.

"Em put Rose down and go get your stuff. Were going to the gym!"

"Hey!" Emmett sounded really insulted but I knew him too well for that so I just waited. "How'd you know? Anyway, I'm ready so let's go!"

Step 5: Get in shape.

An hour later we were in the gym and Emmett was attempting to teach me to lift weights. He knelt on a push up bench and hefted this ridiculously heavy weight into the air as his muscles bulged, then handed it to me and told me to try it the same way. Not my idea of teaching!

"What the fuck am I meant to do with this Emmett?" I asked incredulously, not even wanting to think about how heavy it was. "You're arms are huge compared to mine, I can't lift that." He huffed and sighed in disgust, but turned to grab a smaller weight off the shelf behind him. He handed it to me and I took over his stance; one knee on the bench, back straight and then I lifted it up about an inch off the ground.

Shit, that's heavy! I blanched but continued to curl my arm up so that the weight was parallel with my forearm. I felt the 'burn' that Emmett had been going on about for the past half hour, since we had gotten off the running machines, and looked down half expecting to see my muscle falling off. What I did see surprised me as the muscle bulged and flexed as I battled to keep the weight in place; it almost looked as big as Emmett's.

"Damn Eddie!" Emmett whistled softly to himself, looking impressed. "You are already stacked; this is going to be a cakewalk." I smiled up at him triumphantly, and then my arm tipped slightly as I lost my concentration and dropped the weight on Emmett's foot…

**AN: So…it's not really a cliff-hanger but there we go. I hope you liked it! **

**Thank you for bothering to read all the way to the bottom of the page, that means the world to me right there. If you didn't hate it, please review and tell me why! If you do hate it then I'd love to hear from you too.**

**Oh yeah, if you see any other hilarious disclaimers let me know and I will post my favourite/s next time (if you want there to be a next time!) with full credit where it is due.**

**Anything/anyone else (e.g. Tanya) you want to see in here just let me know, I am here to please so I'll do my best, but remember that this is a T rated Fanfic so no lemons in this story. However, I never say never, so maybe in future stories.**

**Thanks again!**

**- Charlotte-xoxo**

**PS: All the photos are up on my profile, even the ones I havent mentioned yet for Chapter 4. Please let me know asap if any of the links don't work and i will try to fix them. Thankyou!**


	4. AN: Sorry!

**AN: Really sorry, just noticed that I called Step 4, Step 3 and didn't actually write down Step 3 at all. So just to clarify:**

**Step 3: Sex Hair**

**Step 4: Get Comfortable With Your Body**

**BTW, the full list is now on my profile if you want to see what is coming up. Step 9, when I get there, is going to be… A-MAY-ZING!!!**

**Thank you!**

**- Charlotte-xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry it is so short (and I do mean tiny) and it has been such a long time. I know it is not funny at all but I needed to get this out first. More excuses later…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing at all except the awesome hoodie I am currently wearing!**

RECAP: "Damn Eddie!" Emmett whistled softly to himself, looking impressed. "You are already stacked; this is going to be a cakewalk." I smiled up at him triumphantly, and then my arm tipped slightly as I lost my concentration and dropped the weight on Emmett's foot…

Chapter 4: Esme and Carlisle

EPOV

He yelped in pain and just stood there staring at his foot, the weight still perched on his left big toe. After a few seconds I came to my senses and picked up the weight and put it back on its holder. Then I pulled out my phone and called the hospital; not 911 but my father's private line because he happened to be working at the hospital that evening. I was pretty clumsy to be honest and at times like these I thanked God that my father had made the choice to train as a doctor.

"Dad?" I asked quickly as soon as someone picked up.

"No it's me!" a familiar female voice said. "What do you want baby, are you OK?" She sounded slightly panicked now and I could tell that if I didn't answer soon she would draw the wrong conclusions. I was her youngest son and since I hadn't found my 'soul mate' yet, I had begged to differ on that since I had met Bella, she felt very protective of me.

"It's OK mom," I placated her before continuing. I wanted to ask her why she was at the hospital but I could see Emmett's body starting to shake, a sure sign of shock, and I needed to get to the point. "I'm fine, but Emmett had a bit of an accident at the gym!" Technically it had been my fault but there was no need to tell her that just then, maybe it would be better to wait until Emmett had been calmed down. "Tell Dad that I'm bringing him over now."

I hung up quickly and turned back to Emmett who was turning white and shaking like a leaf. "Come on big guy," I said quietly, worried that anything louder would send him in to full blown shock. "Let's get you to Dad!" I looped his arm over my shoulder and grasped hold of a fist full of his tight white t-shirt as I tried to turn him towards the door. I had learnt some of my father's medical skills but there was no way I was going to try and do anything to his toes without a doctor present. I didn't want to fuck the up any more than I already had.

Emmett, using me as a makeshift crutch, hobbled to the door of the gym trying not to put pressure on the ball of his left foot as I struggled to keep from buckling under his weight. We managed to make to my silver Volvo and I prayed to whatever higher power there is out there that he manages not to puke on my car before we get to the hospital!

EsPOV

I rushed out of the hospital after the call from my youngest son and twenty minutes later his Volvo pulled into the parking lot, going way beyond the speed limit as usual but I couldn't bring myself to care right now. Edward got out of the driver's seat and went around to the passenger side to help Emmett out of the car. I still didn't know what was wrong with him so I hurried over to ask Edward.

"What happened to my baby Eddie?" I asked, my voice not hiding any of my concern.

"It's OK mom," Edward replied, calming my nerves slightly. I trusted him to at least tell me if something was really badly wrong. "Em was teaching my how to pump weights in the gym in Port Angeles **(AN: I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but I didn't think that Forks would have a gym.)** and I sort of… dropped a weight on his foot."

"Eddikins, how could you?" I sounded harsher than I had intended so I softened my tone slightly; still radiating disapproval but not displaying quite as much anger in my eyes. "I'm sorry baby, I'm sure it was an accident. Let's get your brother inside, he looks really pale, we should get your father to check him out."

Together we hauled Emmett up the steps outside the hospital and into the reception area. "Call Dr. Cullen on Level 12." I said confidently to the short, blonde receptionist behind the desk, Lauren I think her name was. "Tell him that he is needed for a family emergency." I wasn't exactly sure how bad Emmett's injury was but I needed to be sure that it wouldn't cause him permanent damage.

A few minutes later Carlisle emerged from a lift looking rather harassed. I immediately felt awful for bringing him downstairs just for us. He probably had enough patients to deal with without Emmett's foot too.

"What's wrong Esme," He looked concerned then he glanced at Emmett and then became Dr. Cullen again. "What happened?" Edward explained the story again, adding in details about which foot, how heavy the weight had been and how long it had been since the incident. Once they had finished talking Carlisle and Edward took Emmett into a side room and I sat down in an orange, plastic chair to wait for the verdict.

**AN: I am so sorry that it is so short, I've had two exams already this week and I've got two more on Thursday and Friday. I will try my best to update as soon as possible. Thanks so much to 'Sarah Rudolph', 'Wemseee'x2 (Thankyou so much), 'unltimatetwihard513' and 'Ali Shaw', who reviewed both the last chapter (and unexpected AN chapter). Did I do something wrong in the eyes of everyone else, because one hundred people read it and only four people pressed that little green button. Please review, good or bad, it really does make my day!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Had exams but I worked my butt off to update today. I hope you like it!**

RECAP: Once they had finished talking Carlisle and Edward took Emmett into a side room and I sat down in an orange, plastic chair to wait for the verdict.

Chapter 6: Diagnosis/Step 6/Rosalie

EPOV

I breathed out noisily, not having realised that I was holding my breath, as Carlisle gave us the news. Apparently Emmett had suffered a Lisfranc (or Midfoot) Fracture and that he would have to wear a cast for six weeks. Emmett was really excited for a few seconds, yelling about how cool a cast was going to look and asking if he could have it in fluorescent orange, until Dad told him the other requirement that came with his injury.

"What do you mean I can't play football for eight weeks?" He was screaming so loudly that Mum came rushing into the room, asking if he was alright. Dad just sat there calmly, waiting for Emmett's anger to burn out. "You have no idea how important this is to me! Football is my life, I'm the quarterback for God's sakes, they need me!" This last part came out sounding whiney and high pitched and both Dad and I could see that he was almost done. God, he sounded so much like Rose when he was upset, maybe that's why she liked him so much!

"Oh my God," he finished, sounding very subdued. "Coach Clapp is going to kill me!" Then he sank further down in his chair and started sniffing. He looked like he was going to cry!

"I'm sorry, Em." Mum walked over and put her arm around him gently. He seemed to have forgotten she was there because he jumped at her touch then hugged her back. "If you don't rest it, you might never play football again. Right, Carlisle?" She looked up at our father expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

"Yes, Esme! Emmett, your mother is right, you need to rest it to prevent a more serious injury occurring." He too walked over to Emmett and placed his hand on top of mother's on his shoulder, comforting him in the best way he could.

I suddenly felt very awkward, like I was the unwanted intruder in this little party for three, so I got up quietly and slipped out into the hospital reception. It was almost four o'clock so I figured that I could fit in one more step from my master plan before bed.

Unfortunately for that I was going to need Rosalie!

**Step 6:**** Perfect The Attitude**

RPOV

Oh my God! This is awesome, little Eddie wants to learn from the master. He came shyly into my room and asked me to help him out with the next step of his stupid plan to bag his best friend who he's been crushing on since forever. Of course, for this bit he's going to need the world's most fabulous person… moi! I need to teach him how to act like he is the coolest person on the planet, regardless of how pathetic and weedy he is on the inside. It will so nice to see an Eddie with attitude for once! I know I seem sort of bitchy and mean but he's like my nerdy brother-from-another-mother and I hate that he isn't popular like he deserves to be. And, because I'm not actually his biological brother, I have no issues with saying that he is hot when he dresses normally! Not that he's what floats my boat of course, bulk has always been more attractive than skinny in my eyes, but I'm just saying!

Edward chose that moment to knock on Emmett's… well technically it's ours because I basically live here most of the time, bedroom door to tell me that he was ready. I had assigned him a, shall we say, 'outfit' to wear for our lesson in awesomeness today and he was clearly not happy.

"Come in!" I said, trying unsuccessfully to sound nonchalant and slightly bored even though I was dying to see what he looked like.

"Rose, you know I will hate you forever if you make me do this!" he said mutely as he sidled, looking incredibly embarrassed, through the door and shut it behind him.

Then I burst out laughing and collapsed onto my bed, holding my sides to stop it hurting as much. Priceless!

EPOV

"Shut up Rose!" I moaned, desperately tugging at the t-shirt I was wearing to try and stretch it enough to cover my navel. Rosalie had had only one condition to agreeing to help me with my attitude and outward persona and I had foolishly agreed immediately without thinking through the implications of my actions. I could see exactly how her idea would help me towards my goal, but it didn't mean that I had to like looking like an idiot either!

I was wearing a pair of ridiculously tight, black PVC trousers that came down to end in God-awful hippie pink flares around my ankles. The t-shirt was black too and didn't look to bad, apart from the fact that it ended about four inches above the belly button. It meant that the thin trail of little, light-bronze hairs that started at my navel and disappeared below the waistband of the ridiculous trousers was completely on show, along with most of my stomach.

Finally, Rose had laid out on my bed a pair of her own leather platform boots with a lot of criss-crossing laces on them. I had been hoping that they wouldn't fit and I will never know how they did, but somehow I could just about cram my feet into them so I grudgingly wore them.

Rosalie was laughing so hard that I thought she would fall off the bed. She suddenly sat up, grabbed my arm and dragged my down the hall to the stairs. Then she dashed down leaving me to hobble down in the heels, threatening violence if I tried to stay upstairs. As embarrassed as I was I wanted this to work and I couldn't say no to anyone, so I carefully made my way into the hallway and peered gingerly into the living room to find my whole family waiting for me. Even Emmett and my parents were back from the hospital. Oh God! Man it up Edward, if you can face your family wearing this, you can face Bella at school and tell her how you feel.

With my mind set firmly on Bella's face I stepped out into the living room and waited motionless for the taunts to begin. For a long moment no one said anything then Emmett, being the subtle bastard he was spoke up looking shocked.

"Oh my God Eddie! Rose, what the hell have you done?"

**AN: Please review! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed my last chapter, I love you all. My exams went great for those who asked thanks, ive got more tomorrow but I hope you like this slightly rushed chapter. Sorry if it's a bit odd, I was feeling mad when I wrote it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: A bit of a filler and gets a bit serious later on so I hope you like it. I always forget so:**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even my hair which I got cut to donate to a cancer charity. Twelve inches are now on their way to London, and my head feels very light with only shoulder length hair on it!**

**More random garbling later! Enjoy, I really hope you do…**

RECAP: With my mind set firmly on Bella's face I stepped out into the living room and waited motionless for the taunts to begin. For a long moment no one said anything then Emmett, being the subtle bastard he was spoke up looking shocked:

"Oh my God Eddie! Rose, what the hell have you done?"

EmPOV

Eddie in that getup had to have been the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life. He was wearing some kind of shiny, black trousers with flares that looked like they belonged to a transvestite hippie (or Rose's mom!), a cropped black t-shirt that no self respecting man would be seen dead in and Rose's thigh-high black go-go boots. He looked like a total idiot!

He had also just totally ruined the sexy image of my Rosie in those boots (and not much else) I called to mind every time she wore them. I would never be able to look at them in the same way again! I would have to get Alice to discretely dispose of them for me and buy Rose a new, nearly identical pair to avoid gross mental images on my part. I couldn't quite bring myself to think of getting rid of them completely no matter how awkward it would be, they were my favourite and Rose had been wearing them the first time we…

I was pulled roughly from my fantasies by Edward's retort.

"My _name_ is Edward!" His voice was calm but cold; his face friendly but aloof, whatever the fuck that meant! I had learnt it in English class as a freshman and I thought it applied here. Didn't really matter anyway, it was the only class I was failing in and Eddie would tutor me!

"What?" I asked confused, as I watched Rose flash Eddie an incredibly rare smile and nod almost imperceptibly. "I know your name Eddie!" Edward's eyes flashed an ominous black and I flinched; I'd never seen him quite that angry before.

"No Emmett, my name… is Ed-ward!" He drew it out longer than necessary, as if talking to a child. "Not Eddie… not Eddykins…" With this his eyes flicked to Esme and she took a small step forward as if in apology. "... _just_ Edward!" He finished with such venom that it was as if we were watching my Rosalie possessing his body; the Eddi… Edward I knew didn't have it in him.

Almost instantly Edward's whole demeanour changed and he slumped down onto the couch. "I'm sorry!" he mumbled softly, and Rosalie rushed over and looped her arm around his shoulders. He jumped abruptly and then relaxed into her, resting his head on her outstretched forearm. I was so stumped by the small, insignificant gesture from the two of them that I didn't even make a flippant comment like I would have otherwise. It was almost as if they had bonded in the time that they had been upstairs together and it made me feel really proud to call them my family.

"Don't say that Edward!" Rose whispered in his ear softly, reassuringly. "You need to try and stay confident even when you're not. Go and get changed Edward, you did great, but if you damage those boots I will kill you!"

I cracked a smile and snorted softly at that and quickly tried to pass it off as a cough as Rosalie turned her now typically steely gaze. Edward smiled slightly more happily at me than before then trudged off up the stairs to change out of Rose's 'gorgeous' outfit. Just before he left the room Rosalie jumped up and shouted at him to wait.

"Edward, one more thing! Please don't hurt those trousers either, I stole them from my mom and she would kill me if you ripped them!" With that she turned around and started to talk to Alice again, the two of them giggling animatedly together.

I thought for a moment and then I laughed out loud and I punched the air like a victorious preschooler. "I was right; they were your mother's!" Rosalie just rolled he eyes at my and continued her conversation.

EPOV

I ran up those stairs as fast as I could and pulled off those damn boots! They looked like they belonged to a hooker and I didn't even want to think about what they had been through with Rosalie before I had been, um… granted the privilege of wearing them.

I quickly changed back into my clothes and sank down on to my bed. I appreciated that Rosalie had been trying to help me out but surely she could have thought of a less painful way of doing it. That conversation with Emmett was by far the most attitudinal I had ever acted in my life, even if I felt the complete opposite inside.

The most interesting thing that had come from the debacle downstairs was Rosalie's reaction to me. I have never seen her react like that to anyone since I've known her, not even towards Emmett. She just wasn't the touchy feely kind of person; she liked her personal space and everyone, even Emmett, respected that. Not that they weren't intimate… God knows they are, but emotionally she has a bubble that no one enters on pain of death and I think she just burst it and let me in.

I wasn't sure where our relationship stood now, whether she would block me out next time I spoke to her or continue to let me in, but I did know that something had changed between us and I was almost positive that it was something good.

The more I thought about the exchange downstairs, the more proud I became of the way I acted and stood up for myself. Initially I had felt incredibly guilty for losing it in front of Emmett but gradually I came to the realisation that I had done exactly what I had wanted to do. I had been outwardly confident and asserted myself more than I had ever thought possible, and I had almost believed myself to be confident.

I guessed if I thought about it, that I really had been more confident when I had taken that step and put myself up to ridicule and humiliation. A quick glance at the article that I had folded in the pocket of my jeans also revealed that I had somehow managed during my aimless procrastinations to complete step eight of the master plan, achieving self-confidence, without realising it. I would have to start step seven when we got back to school and Jasper could get me into football tryouts but it was a satisfying feeling that I was making such progress with my goals anyway. With that uplifting thought I headed off to bed to ponder further the revelation of my hidden confidence.

**Step 7: Get Yourself On A Sports Team  
**

**Step 8: Improve Your Self-Confidence**

**AN: Thank you or all the reviews. I got ten for chapter six which was awesome, I'm so grateful to: 'SagaObsessed', 'Wemseee', 'Avery Shane', 'twilightlover4evr', '', 'LunarEclipse', 'FriendorFoeUDecide311', 'Ali Shaw', 'Someoneyoudon'tknowprobably' and an anonymous 'marypoppinscollar'. Thank you all of you!**

**Just a heads up, Eddi… I mean Edward will be taking his new image for the Test Drive in the next chapter and I am so excited. It's going to be the most fun to write, I have such a great idea, and I can't wait for you to read it! If you have any ideas about what I could put in, I would love to hear them. I have the general outline of where I'm going but any input would be very welcome!**

**Review please, I live off them!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Just so you guys know that Bella hasn't disappeared of the edge of a cliff or something, here is a tiny section from BPOV for y'all to enjoy before we get to see the reunion at school, so that you can see her reaction too. It also helps to pass a few days because a week seems like a long time now. So… *drum roll please* …may I present the TEST DRIVE (Part 1-more info and apology below!)!!! Vroom…**

**PS. Longest part to date. Hope you enjoy it!**

**PPS. The vocab is a bit 'Posh British' because I was in that sort of mood so I'm sorry if it some of the words don't mean anything in American. Send me a message and I can explain anything you don't understand. Sorry… I'll let you read now.**

RECAP: With that uplifting thought I headed off to bed to ponder further the revelation of my hidden confidence.

BPOV

I rolled over in my bed and yawned softly, then sat up bolt upright as my brain caught up with my actions. I grinning in anticipation and grabbed my phone of the bedside table to check for text messages or missed calls. One quick glance at the screen told me that I had three new messages so I pressed the button to view them.

My face fell as I realised that the name that I wanted to see wasn't there; Eddie hadn't called me at all over the last four days and I didn't know why. It was so unlike him not to call that I felt the urge to check at least ten times a day, just in case he called and I missed it.

With an increasing, sinking feeling in my gut I opened the first of my messages hoping that one of them would make me feel slightly less unhappy about the unexplainable absence of my best friend.

EPOV

I had woken up that morning at some unearthly hour and had been pacing restlessly around the ground floor of the house for several hours before Alice joined me in the kitchen for breakfast. The previous few days had been a blur of working out on the gym with jasper, since Emmett was otherwise incapacitated, and working on my attitude and image with Rosalie and Alice.

I had woken up early this particular morning because I had been too stressed to sleep. Today was the day that Alice had planned for the whole group of us to go to a club and trial my new image in a social setting to see what effect it would have on my, as yet, non-existent social status. I was unsure of how successful the endeavour would be, despite Alice assuring me otherwise, because I wasn't sure how to act or whether it would make any difference. I had been a social reject for as long as I could remember and I found it hard to believe that a week could change me.

Don't get me wrong, I liked the different clothes and changing my body for the better, but I wasn't convinced that changing all of this stuff would actually help me to have the confidence to impress Bella when I went back to school in two days time.

"Are you okay Edward?" Alice's concerned voice snaked its way into my thoughts and I looked up to see her gazing down at me, a gentle sisterly expression gracing her features.

"Yeah! I'm fine Allie; I just don't think that this test thing is going to work. I don't think I'm ready for this!" I was completely honest with her in that moment because I realised that was what I needed to do, be honest with my fears. "I don't feel like I'm good enough for any of this, including Bella."

"Don't worry little brother." Alice told me, a cheeky smirk returning to her face as she spoke. "You will be fine! Trust me."

I sighed and nodded. I was not going to argue with Alice, it never worked in your favour. Then I smiled sheepishly at her and she shook her head frustrated, knowing exactly what my problem was. I had no idea what to wear and I needed her help so she grabbed my arm and pulled me up the stairs to my closet. Once there she started throwing things onto my bed and muttering obscenities under her breath so that the rest of the sleeping house wouldn't hear her. A few moments later she huffed loudly and pushed my firmly out of my own bedroom door shouting: "Come back in an hour!" as she shut the door in my face.

I was now sort of alone in a silent house and it wasn't particularly comfortable so I left out of the back door and made my way slowly into the woods behind the house. My mind was such a mush of unfathomable feelings and thoughts so I wasn't concentrating on where I was going but my subconscious mind knew what I needed and so my feet carried me there. Before long I found myself in my favourite place on earth… my meadow, my sanctuary, my hideout when I needed somewhere to just sit and think.

I sat there just watching the wind gently rustle the grass as I tried to clear my head enough to prepare myself for what was sure to be an eventful evening. It was always just so peaceful there and I loved the sense of freedom I got from not having to be anything but myself.

After I figured my time was up I returned to the house and called to Alice from the bottom of the stairs. She called me upstairs and then shoved me rather unceremoniously into my bathroom the moment I had stepped through the bedroom door. A moment later a pile of clothes was slid around the door, which opened just enough for Alice to peer around it and grin evilly at me.

"Put it on please Brother Edward, I want to see what it looks like on you." I rolled my eyes at the name but did as she said, grimacing as I pulled on the clothes that were unfamiliar and totally unlike my usual attire. As I removed my comfortable, slightly loose shirt, my favourite ironically, and put on the tight black t-shirt and black dinner jacket that Alice had picked out for me, I sighed resignedly. Fortunately she hadn't made me change my jeans yet but I wasn't holding out much hope that it would stay that way.

I looked down at my body as I tapped on the door that led back into my bathroom and realised that there was a lot of black there. Dark jeans, black shirt, black jacket… it all seemed a bit morbid.

"Allie," I said tentatively, slipping back into my room. "Isn't there another colour I can wear or something? I don't like all this black."

"Ooh, yeah! I can see what you mean, that is quite dark. Try this…" She threw a white t-shirt at me and I quickly headed back to the bathroom to change it. When I got back into the room Alice had gone and I took that as a sign of freedom, so I took of the jacket and put it away on a hanger in my closet. Alice would kill me if I didn't so I had always kept my room tidy so as to not 'incite her wrath'. I think that is how she had phrased it once!

I kept the t-shirt on, because it really didn't look that bad on me, and headed downstairs to grab some lunch. It was ridiculous how long it had taken to change into and out of one set of clothes, considering Alice and Rosalie could make several dozen changes in an hour, but it was in fact lunchtime and I was hungry.

I made Mac and Cheese for myself and the rest of the family who were mostly up and about, excluding Rose and Emmett who were doing God knows what in their room, and called them in to eat. Apart from Esme, who always cooked and could do with a day of every once in a while, I was the only half decent cook in my family so every felt safe eating my food.

Of the others Alice enjoyed experimenting, as I knew Bella's mom did regularly with similarly disastrous results, and most of what she constructed was not strictly edible or digestible so the family had eventually accepted that what I made was going to be the best they got without Esme's superior skills in the kitchen.

We ate quickly, Rose and Emmett still absent throughout the whole affair, and then I went to the library and started to read. What seemed like only moments later Rosalie burst through the door, piercing the peaceful silence like a blade, and shouted at me to come quickly.

"Edward, you were supposed to be getting ready an hour ago. Come on!"

"What? What time is it?" I was confused now, it couldn't be the evening already, I had only sat down moments ago.

"Seven o'clock… PM!" She shrieked as she pulled me from the room. I was getting very manhandled today! "You need to change; Alice has put your jeans on your bed. Put them on!" She left me at my door and I quickly changed once I got inside, then I joined my siblings plus Jasper and Rose downstairs. We split up into my silver Volvo and Rosalie's red Mercedes and made our way into town.

Fifteen minutes later we arrived at a new club in the centre of town, New Moon **(AN: Cliché I know but it's my favourite book and I wanted to put it in somewhere. Poll on my profile… vote for your favourite book.)**, which was according to Alice the best club this side of Seattle. A quick flirt with the bouncer, Rosalie style, and a slipped fifty and we were inside. Alice quickly steered me to the bar and plonked me on a seat to 'survey the room and positioned herself and Jasper a little way down the bar, close enough that they could help me out if I needed it without it being obvious.

I ordered a virgin piña colada because I wanted to keep sober throughout the entire evening and sat there silently, waiting until enough time had passed that I could tell Alice that her plan wasn't working and that we should go just home.

An hour or so later I felt a light tap on my shoulder which I assumed to be Alice and turned around quickly, a victorious smile on my face.

"Is it time to go yet Al…" The words abruptly died in my mouth as I took in the face of the person standing close beside me, her hand still frozen on my shoulder. She was beautiful, still not Bella but gorgeous nonetheless, with shoulder length strawberry blond hair and a lightly tanned complexion.

"Hey, my name is Tanya. I saw you sitting alone over here and I was wondering if you wanted to dance?" She asked the question confidently, almost as if she knew what my answer would be. I glanced over at Alice, who smirked and stuck her tongue out at me before nodding vehemently in Tanya's direction, then back to Tanya who was starting to look less confident.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to annoy you!" She said quickly, apologetically. "It just looked like you might want some company this evening. Shouldn't have bothered, too hot to be single." This last part she said under her breath, so quietly that I was sure I had misheard. I could tell that I was embarrassing her so I smiled kindly and nodded.

"Of course! I'm not that good at dancing but I'll try anything once." I hopped cleanly of the barstool and extended a hand which she took eagerly. The trying anything part of my answer had been a total bare-faced lie but I had been completely honest about my dancing ability, or lack there of. I was awful and I was going to completely humiliate myself in front of the first girl who had ever shown any interest in me. Brilliant!

**AN: I'm so sorry that I didn't get to finish the test drive, I have been ridiculously busy and I have more exams to come still, for two more weeks at least. I keep forgetting to say that all the photos from previous chapters and this chapter are on my profile, plus the poll I mentioned before. Please review, good and bad, and also tell me if you want pictures of Tanya's or the other Cullen's/Hale's outfits for this chapter. They are not strictly necessary but I already found them to set the scene in my head and I can post them on my profile if you want. It's totally up to you. Thanks to all the reviewers from the last chapter, I loved them all. I believe that I have replied to every review I have received to date, bar one which failed to send. If that was you I am so sorry, send me a message of indignation and I will apologise personally. Thanks again!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I hope you enjoy this; it took long enough to get it up. I finished this days ago. For some reason said that they had recieved a complaint about some 'ungracious behaviour' on my part which i do not understand. If that complaint was from you I am very sorry, but still confused as to what i did wrong! Anyway... I struggled with the first bit so I hope its OK. I don't feel comfortable with Edward being physically close to another person but Bella so I think some of this awkwardness may have come across in my writing. Please keep reading though, and be sure to read my bottom AN for my information and other interesting stuff…**

RECAP: I was awful and I was going to completely humiliate myself in front of the first girl who had ever shown any interest in me. Brilliant!

We wound our way slowly through the crowds of people that were dancing or grinding on the dance floor until we reached a slightly quieter spot near the wall. I was feeling slightly uncomfortable about being this far from Alice but I figured that, as research was what I was here for, research was what I was going to do.

I reached out my hand and placed it tentatively on Tanya's waist, then jumped abruptly at her reaction. Clearly I had done the right thing because she thrust her body towards me until we were flush together. I could feel her warm body pressed again every contour of mine and it felt good. **(AN: OK, to the person who asked, no matter what Bella means to him, he is a man and therefore he will react like any other man to Tanya.) **We slowly started to sway to the music, which actually wasn't as hard as I had originally thought it would be, and she slipped her arms around my neck in a vice-like grip. It felt very possessive but I didn't really mind too much, it felt nice to be desired because that was definitely what it was. I wasn't an idiot and the way she was angling her body made it clear what she wanted… too bad I wasn't that sort of guy.

The song finished and another started, more upbeat this time. I recognised it as Low – Flo Rida feat. T. Pain and immediately the atmosphere on the dance floor changed. You could almost sense the anticipation that came with a song of this nature; it was a sexy, bump and grind kind of a song. Tanya lent up on her tiptoes and whispered seductively in my ear.

"I'm going to show you how to really dance now baby!" It bothered me slightly that she had never even asked for my name but figured that it didn't really matter in the long run. She turned around slowly so that her back was facing me and started sliding her way sensually, smoothly down my body and back up. Then she grasped my hands, placed them on her hips and started grinding herself up against my groin. I moaned and she started grinding faster, harder, until I was completely intoxicated by the feel of her body against mine. Then she pulled me to the edge of the club, deep in the shadows, and pushed me against the cold, stone wall.

Before I could react she had pressed her lips roughly to mine; I jumped but then quickly responded, kissing her back with the same eagerness. I spun her around and lifted her up against the wall as I traced my tongue across her bottom lip, asking her for entrance. She wrapped first one leg then the other tightly around the back of my thighs and opened her mouth to me willingly. I kissed her passionately, losing myself in her embrace, her beautiful brunette hair brushing my cheeks softly as I our tongues intertwined and danced, battling for dominance.

"Edward!" She moaned softly and I groaned in response. I should have noticed then that something was slightly off with her response, but I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't think to hard on it and focused only on Bella, and kissing her.

"God, Bella, you are so gorgeous!" I breathed, so softly I wasn't sure if she heard me.

"My name is Tanya." She said coldly, and I froze. How could I have forgotten so quickly where I was, what I was doing, and with whom.

"Sorry, I got confused… the drink getting to me. My ex girlfriend's name was Becca, I just forgot where I was for a moment." In actual fact I had not drunk anything but for some reason I felt the need to lie, both about that and to cover up my accidental use of Bella's name. Then I smiled at her and felt her heart start to thump faster in her chest as it was pressed firmly against my own. Interesting! I filed away that little nugget of knowledge for later analysis and started to extract myself carefully from Tanya.

"I have to go." I said firmly, but not unkindly, and looked at my watch for emphasis. The truth was that I was quite uncomfortable now, having just had a fantasy about Bella whilst kissing another girl, and I really wanted to get out of there. "My sister will want me to go and meet her. Sorry!"

I turned to leave but her sugary voice, sickly not sweet like Bella's, stopped me. "Don't you want my number." She asked, her manicured talons tracing down my forearm slowly, clearly trying and failing to sound seductive.

"Sure!" I said, handing my phone to her and waiting impatiently as she entered her number and returned the phone to me. I bent down and swiftly pecked her on the cheek and then hurried to where Alice was already waiting for me, with her coat on ready to leave. Call it twin's intuition, or whatever, but she always seemed to know exactly what I needed, when I needed it.

We gathered up Emmett and Rosalie who were dry humping on the dance floor, to put it politely, and Jasper who was engaged in a drinking game with some other bored men at the bar. Then we left the club and Alice and I, being the sober ones, drove us all home. Then, twenty-five minutes later I collapsed into bed, exhausted and more than a bit surprised at how well the evening had gone.

All of that night I slept fitfully, dreaming of Bella and Tanya and twisted mutations of both as the two morphed into each other behind my closed eyes.

* * *

The next day I lounged around the house, playing videogames for most of the morning with Emmett who was now regretting his enthusiasm for dancing as his foot gave him grief. After lunch Jasper and I went to the gym again and I managed to raise my stamina level on the treadmills by such an astounding amount, by nearly two minutes in fact, that Jasper had to stop before I did and sat in the café waiting for me to finish the last twenty minutes of my workout.

After we got back to the house, jasper disappeared off to find Alice for some private alone time and I got out my phone which had been lying neglected in the bottom of my closet with my school bag for the past week. It had occurred to me, as I was pounding out the miles on the treadmill, that I had not texted or called Bella for the whole of the break. I had felt a twinge of guilt over neglecting to contact her during all this chaos and change, and despite the fact that it was the last evening of the holidays, I felt that I should at least text once, so that she knew I wasn't ignore her, or emigrating to Australia.

I switched my phone on and was slightly disappointed to see that my only text was from my network, telling me that I would be receiving three hundred free minutes that I would never get round to using, but I was still resolved to text Bella regardless.

_Hey Bells,_

_Sorry for neglecting you._

_I hope you had a great holiday._

_See you tomorrow._

_Edward_

She must have been near her phone because only seconds later my phone buzzed and I tapped the screen eagerly to see her response.

BPOV

I smiled widely and tapped send, praying for a quick reply. After waiting a whole week worrying that I had done something wrong, to make him stop talking to me, that one little text had made my day. I had replied as quickly as possible, letting him know that I wasn't annoyed with him at all, just glad to hear from him.

Hey Ed,

Don't worry about it.

Yeah, see you tomorrow.

B xxx

I lay back on my bed and snoozed whilst I waited for his response and listening to music on my iPod. Gradually I drifted off to sleep, not noticing when my phone vibrated against my leg, because I was just too tired.

EPOV

I read her text; the replied with something short and sweet, just so she knew I cared then got into bed and slept soundly, in anticipation of my revelation to Bella in school the next day.

_Great,_

_Sleep well._

_Edward x_

**AN: I hope you all don't hate me because it took so long and because it's a bit OOC for Edward. I loved all your reviews and I can't believe that I have so many; it's really overwhelming that so many of you like my story. The next chapter WILL be the one you've all been waiting for, going back to school. I have a sneak peek for this next one too, for a couple of dedicated reviewers that already know who they are, and for the first five-ish reviewers who quote my phrase of the week: 'Flaming Cheeseburgers' (don't ask!) in their review, just to prove that people actually do read this AN stuff at the bottom. It will be short, but good guys so please review!!!**

**Also, I don't know if you guys noticed something out of place in the first half of the scene, a contradiction of terms if you will! It was deliberate and gave you a little clue to the next chapter. If anyone finds it and tells me what it is, I have a special extended sneak peek for you!**

**Thank you and happy hunting!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Thanks for all the good luck messages for my exams; they all went fine and finished on Monday. Yay! So… I wrote this chapter and it was huge so I split it in half. The second half will be up in a few days, promise! Thanks so much for all your amazing reviews, I love each and every one, even if I don't sound interested in the response. That because I get so excited when my phone beeps for an email and I have to reply, even if it's four am where I am. So worth it!**

**Sorry if the grammar is a bit bad in this one, I'm really tired but I wanted to give it to you now rather than make you wait till tomorrow. Longest chapter ever though, that has to be a plus!**

**Thanks, and enjoy!**

RECAP:

_Great,_

_Sleep well._

_Edward x_

I woke up late that morning and panicked slightly, as I ate and dressed in the 'great unveiling' outfit that Alice had been planning for most of the week, that I wouldn't get to school in time to see Bella before my first hour Spanish class. Fortunately Alice had, through the aforementioned twin telepathic link, once again come to my rescue in the form of a swift shove out of the door whilst I was still eating my breakfast banana. **(AN: I know Edward is American but I don't know what you eat for breakfast, so he had mine instead!) **I love my sister dearly, and I was grateful to her for making the effort to get me to school on time, but sometimes she can be really annoying.

I put one foot out of Alice's Porchse Turbo, a Christmas present she prized above almost all her worldly possessions, and tripped over my bag strap which was dangling out of the door in my hurry to join it with my other foot. Thankfully, I steadied myself before I could fall and have what I affectionately referred to as a 'Bella Moment' and started to stride off towards my homeroom to sign into school. Not surprisingly, since I was late, there were no other people around so I didn't have to worry about unwelcome questions on the way. That would inevitably come later!

I arrived at the door just as my teacher Mr Varner did and he pushed open the door graciously to let me in, excusing my tardiness for once because of my spotless record I presumed. Then he did something I would never expect; he seized my arm and tugged me gently but forcefully towards the front of the classroom, then proceeded to introduce me to the class.

I stood their speechless, completely beffuzled as to what he was doing. "I'm glad to see that most of you have arrived back safely after what I'm sure was a restful and relaxing break." I smiled, remembering the definite drama of my week and how it had all led up to today. The clothes… the hair… the confidence training… the exercise… It had all led up to that moment, in about twenty minutes time, when I would see Bella for the first time as the new me. I was so ready to tell her what I had waited so long to say, yet still incredibly nervous of course, and I was now eager for homeroom to be over so I could walk past Bella's locker on my way to Spanish.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I almost missed Mr Varner's next words: "I would also like you to meet a new student today; I wasn't aware that we were expecting one but nevertheless, please welcome Mr…" he trailed off and I stood there silently, smiling at him as I waited for this fictitious new student to talk. Poor Mr Varner had finally lost his mind!

Eventually, after several moments of increasingly awkward silence, Mr Varner spoke up again. "Well… introduce yourself then!" I then realised with a mixture of shock and awe that he was talking to me. It was clear now, from his vacant, expressionless eyes and fake smile as he looked at me, that he did not recognise me at all. I was shocked at his lack of facial distinction as he was well known to be one of the most intelligent and well educated teachers who graced the halls of Forks High, and he was also one of my favourite teachers. I guess you could say that in Mr Varner's trigonometry class I was a teacher's pet, and that he had always appeared to have a soft spot where I was concerned too. I seemed utterly absurd to me that he could not remember me after all of the times that I had come top in his insanely random tests and been the only one to actually hand in my homework that he would not remember me, despite a fairly radical overhaul of my exterior.

However, I also found myself quite excited by the prospect of not having anyone recognise me so I thought that I would channel my inner Emmett and see how far I could take it. "Cullen, Sir. I'm a relative of Emmett's from London." I said this in the most precocious British accent I could manage, winking surreptitiously at Emmett out of the corner of my eye. He smirked back at me from where he sat slouched in his seat at the back of the classroom then nodded almost imperceptibly, to let me know that he would go along with my plan. I continued: "He's my second cousin on my mother's side!" Mr Varner nodded jovially, his smile growing wider by the minute.

"How wonderful!" he said, his smile so wide now that I felt uncomfortable just looking at it. "You never told us that your cousin would be joining us Emmett." He directed this last part at Emmett, who was now sniggering uncontrollably, as my clueless teacher pointed me towards the only available seat in the room, which just so happened to be mine already. I sat down as Emmett replied with fake enthusiasm to Mr Varner's quizzical statement.

"I'm sorry Sir, it was a last minute arrangement." Mr Varner seemed appeased and gradually began to read out the class notices and take the register. **(AN: I think its called role call or something in America, but im not sure so for now I'll use the English) **A few moments later I felt something soft and warm brush against my arm.

"Hey baby, I missed you." I looked down to see Tanya sprawled across my desk with her hand leisurely stroking my arm, almost the way a girl does to her boyfriend I realised with horror. I had been so wrapped up in my conversation with Mr Varner that I hadn't even realised that she was seated next to me; in fact I was sure that she hadn't been sitting there last semester. "Well," she purred, quietly enough that only I could hear. "Aren't you going to say anything Edward?" Ok, clearly Tanya knew exactly who I was, despite the fact that until now I hadn't been aware that she knew who I was. I needed to find out what she knew and why she was the only one who recognised me, but I was also aware that for now the best policy would just be to ignore her until we could talk somewhere more private.

I smiled down at her attempting to look smouldering; the way Rose had told me that I did naturally, but was apparently unaware of, during one of those long afternoons without much to do; clearly it worked because her eyelids fluttered and she seemed to slump down further on to my desk. "Tanya," I said quietly, trying not to attract attention. "Can we talk later?" Mr Varner had now started reading down the list of names and I needed to listen for my own. I wanted my little bombshell to be as 'explosive' as possible, if you catch my drift, to make a statement just like Alice had wanted!

"Sure!" she said, seeming to snap abruptly back into consciousness, and she lifted her arm off my desk reluctantly to turn back in her seat. "Have fun with your little charade!"

"Edward Cullen?" Mr Varner called my name and I waited just half a beat before answering yes, loudly and clearly into the silent classroom. Mr Varner looked down and tapped a key on his computer to mark me in and then moved on to the next name. "Emmett Cullen?" Emmett laughed out loud this time and Mr Varner looked up to stare irritably in his direction for a moment before the penny finally dropped. I could see clearly on his face as his brain caught up with his mouth and his eyes snapped over to meet mine. "E…Edward Cullen?" he stammered, now completely bewildered. "You're not Edward Cullen! You can't be!" He stood shakily to his feet and lifted his right index finger to point at me.

I smiled wryly, this could work better than I have ever imagined. I snuck a glance at Emmett who winked, and then turned to address the class who were all watching me avidly. "My name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, and I have been in your trig class for three and a half years!" I heard loud gasps from behind me and turn to see a girl I knew to be called Jessica whispering something to her friend Lauren about how she had known it all along. It didn't look like Lauren believed her though; she seemed to be too busy staring at my backside to be paying attention to her friend. I grimaced, then turned back to smile innocently at Mr Varner, who seemed to be on the verge of hyperventilation, and then swept my bag off the table and strode out of the door as the bell for the end of homeroom started to sound.

Even in a school full of gossips and drama queens, the news of my outburst couldn't spread that fast so, apart from the stares of some cheerleaders who were eyeing up the new guy to see if I was hot enough to date, I didn't receive any unwelcome attention which might divert me from my path towards Bella's locker. When I got there I leant against it coolly, waiting to see my favourite girl coming down the hall from her homeroom class with Mrs Goff, my Spanish teacher, which was the other end of the school from my own.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes in reality, I heard a soft musical laugh from behind a tall, broad-shouldered footballer and then, as he shifted his stance slightly, I saw her. She looked exactly the same as the last time I had seen her, exactly a week ago. Her smile still took my breath away; her eyes still sparkled with the flame of curiosity and the steely edge of determination as she chatted animatedly with her friend Angela, the two of them walking ever closer to the spot where I stood frozen. She looked at me then, unfamiliar hostility flashing across her eyes.

"Excuse me," she said coldly, her voice sounding flat and uninterested. "Could you move? You're leaning on my locker!" I smirked and she visibly bristled, preparing an angry retort to whatever I was about to say I'm sure. I opened my mouth and began what promised to be the scariest, most nerve-wracking conversation of my entire life.

BPOV

I stood, anger radiating from me as I waited for a response from the tall, yet somehow familiar stranger who was occupying the space just in front of my locker.

"I'm hurt Bells!" he said, in a mock angry tone. I frowned, confusion clear on my face as I tried to connect that incredibly familiar voice to a person in my memory who was just out of reach of my conscious mind. "I would have thought you would remember your best friend. It's only been a week!" Then it hit me!

"Edward!" I screamed, and leapt up into his arms, which instinctively tightened around my waist to stop me falling. "I missed you! What happened to you, you look amazing?" I jumped lightly down to my feet and stepped back, appraising him as I did so. His glasses, unnecessary as they had been before, had gone… as had the baggy, comforting clothes that he had hidden behind since I had known him. I had always known that under all that flannel and plaid he had well defined muscle, having been on the receiving end of many hugs from him, but now it was displayed for the world to see in tight blue jeans and an even tighter black t-shirt, with a biker jacket and sneakers to match. **(AN: All pictures on my profile)** He looked as if he had just stepped out of one of my stepdad's 'Biker's Weekly' magazines… and it suited him. Extremely well in fact!

Just then two things came to my attention simultaneously. Firstly, underneath the calm, cool exterior he was fronting, he looked nervous and scared; and secondly, there was someone else watching our little exchange intently, someone with long, curly strawberry-blonde hair. I wonder…

EPOV

"What's up Edward, why'd you look so nervous?" she asked me, concern winning out as the foremost emotion in her face.

"No reason." I smiled hesitantly and her face lit up in response. "Bella, there's something I wanted to tell you!" I said, biting my lip the way that Bella does when she gets nervous. Yet another thing I love about her!

Then she really started beaming as if someone had just lit a 20,000 kW bulb behind her eyes. "There's something I want to tell you too!" she said, sounding extremely excited at the prospect. I could help smiling then too, her enthusiasm was just infectious.

"You go first," I suggested, eager to have my turn but determined to be a gentleman nevertheless…

"OK, I wanted you to m…" she was cut off abruptly by a flash of strawberry-blonde hair streaking towards me, blocking my view of her as Tanya draped her arms around my waist and started talking over Bella.

"Did your phone run out of battery, because you never called?" I looked helplessly at Bella, begging her to understand, but she just smiled affectionately and turned to leave.

"I can see you are busy Edward, so I'll go. We can talk at lunch!" With that she turned and sauntered off down the hall with Angela in tow, who had been waiting silently for at least ten minutes, then disappeared round the corner. I turned to Tanya in disgust.

"What was that for? I was having a conversation with my best friend. I don't want to hurt your feelings but I'm really not interested." I was trying hard to keep my tone conversational but my anger was creeping through in my voice.

"I can see that! I know exactly how you feel towards Bella." She smirked and continued in a smug tone. "However, if you change your mind after lunch… or, I don't know, get some 'bad news'…just know that I'm available to talk."

"Thanks," I said, now annoyed and confused. "I'll keep it in mind." Then I bent down to pick up my own bag which had fallen over at some point, and tried to sneak off.

"That's all I'm asking babe!" she called to me as I walked away from her, now majorly late again. "Just keep it in mind." Then she turned away, an evil grin on her face…

**AN: OK, so all I want from you this time is: WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN NEXT? I would welcome PM's too if you come up with more guesses after you review! Sorry to leave you with this, however I can assure you that it is nothing compared to the next chapter's cliff-hanger. This teeny one is nothing! I know that it's not what many of you expected but, just to give it some drama and to make it last longer because I love writing it, I have added a twist. Hopefully you will like it! By the way, this story WILL finish the way you expect, just not for a while yet. Thanks, review please… special mention if anyone gets it right… I won't tell you in the reply though, that would just ruin the surprise!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: I have 105 reviews! Oh. My. God. Thank you so much everyone who reviewed, I am quite literally over the moon! More later… enjoy!**

**Disclaimer (because I always forget): Unfortunately I own nothing!**

**Please excuse grammar mistakes. Again, I'm really tired and wanted to give this to you before I crash for the night!**

RECAP: "That's all I'm asking babe!" she called to me as I walked away from. "Just keep it in mind." Then she turned away, an evil grin on her face…

I shook my head and just kept on walking away, irritated that my moment with Bella had been ruined. However, I was smart enough to see the potential benefits of talking to her at lunch, there would be less people around to embarrass me if… heaven forbid, then she should reject my advances. Maybe in being an irritating little bitch Tanya had actually done me a favour… maybe it would be better this way!

As I arrived at my Spanish classroom door I began to smile again, already feeling better about the situation. I walked in confidently, no longer caring what people though of me or if they recognised me. I was already busy revising the speech I had planned in my head to help me tell Bella what I wanted to say.

I sat down in my seat, my rapidly processing brain blocking out most of the noise so I was barely aware of the whispers and giggles I was creating amongst my class mates. However, being a normal human being I was unable to block out all of the comments and some of the less welcome ones slipped into my already jumbled mind.

"I heard that he did it all for a dare!"

"I wonder if the rumours about him and Tanya are true."

"He's hot… why did I never notice that before?" This last one made me smile and I actually looked up and chuckled as I met the eyes of an abashed looking girl, who clearly hadn't expected me to be listening, as she hastily looked away.

Just then Mrs Goff waltzed in, looking every bit as insane and scatty as she had in our last lesson before the break. Mrs Goff was a recovering alcoholic, and everyone knew that she had turned to other forms of intoxication after quitting Alcoholics Anonymous, so we tried to make things easier for her. We all just smiled and nodded when she asked a question, then waited patiently for the inevitable A on our report card; it was a harmonious relationship between teacher and student and it worked well.

She clapped her hands once as if trying to bring the class to order and, when everyone proceeded to ignore her, ploughed into her lecture about reflexive and radical changing verbs regardless. I sat in silence, doodling on a piece of scrap paper for the whole hour as the others chatted jovially. I was in no mood to talk, and I didn't even bother taking my Spanish books out of my bag, so I was prepared to leave the room as soon as the bell rang.

I shambled my way, in a similar fashion, through the rest of my morning classes without much trouble. I had a few girls ask me if I wanted to 'talk' and Jasper cornered me after Chemistry to remind me that I needed to be in the Gym hall as early as possible before the class started, so that Coach Clapp could help me find a team to join. I argued vehemently with him for several minutes before Alice stepped in between us and reminded me of what was written after the number seven of the article I had stashed in my pocket. I eventually agreed, if only to stop Hurricane Alice and we all headed outside to the gym.

When we got there Jasper dragged me over to the assistant coach who was teaching the Juniors in the class before ours, and they both started quizzing me on what types of exercise I like and what sports I think that I would like to try. Nothing seemed to be gelling between me and the idea of being a member of the squash team, and ping-pong didn't tickle my fancy either; it was starting to look very unlikely that I was going to find a sport I liked, with space on their team for me. Suddenly Jasper's head jerked up and he met someone's eyes across the hall.

Coach Clapp had only just wandered into the huge, nearly empty space, clutching a coffee cup in one hand and his clipboard in the other, and I could already tell that he was up to something. I recognised the signup sheets from the start of the year clipped haphazardly to the clipboard, and he looked far too determined to be simply here by chance. Instantly Jasper had hurried to his side and they both examined the lists in his hand with great interest, talking in low, hushed tones.

I sat down on one of the bleachers **(AN: I have no idea what these are so if I used the word incorrectly I'm sorry! Could anyone explain what it means please, I'd love to know, we don't have them in the UK.)** and stretched out my legs, prepared to wait for as long as it took. The assistant coach had vanished, apparently no longer needed now that the coach was back, so I didn't even have anyone to talk to.

After what seemed like forever, Jasper motioned for me to come over to him. It had taken so long that other people had started arrive for the gym class already.

"OK Edward, I think I have a solution for you!" he said confidently. "Since Emmett is going to be out for the rest of the season because of his foot, I am going to be taking his place as quarterback." He explained all this clearly and slowly so that I would not have any opportunity to claim ignorance, but there was one problem with his great plan.

"Um, that's great Jasper!" I said, trying very hard not to use the same patronising tone that he had used with me. "However, we have a problem… you play for the soccer team already. You can do both!"

"I know!" he said smugly. Clearly I wasn't getting the point, but it wasn't through lack of trying. "That's why you will be taking my spot on the soccer team. You always played goal keeper when we were younger and you don't just lose talent like that through lack of play. With a bit of practise, you'll do great."

Jasper was the best keeper in the state and he knew it. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. "We'll lose the playoffs if you do that!" I practically yelled, causing Jasper to laugh loudly. "You're insane!"

"No, I just trust Alice!" he said calmly, all trace of humour gone from his voice. "She says it'll be OK, so I trust her. You should too."

"Fine!" I snapped, clearly I wasn't going to get anything more from Jasper now. He worshipped the ground that Alice walked on and would trust her with his life, a little too willingly in my opinion although I would never say it to his face. "But if we lose, which we will, it's your fault."

"Kay!" he mumbled, having just seen Alice across the hall. It was now the end of class, I hadn't even noticed it start, and we were all heading to the cafeteria for lunch. When we got there he looped his arm through Alice's and they joined the queue **(AN: another word I've always been interested in, how do Americans write it, I've seen so many different spellings of it? Q? Que? Queue? Let me know!) **to buy their food.

I looked around for Bella and saw her waving at me from an otherwise empty table across the room. Perfect, no unwanted attention! I mentally steeled myself for what would undoubtedly be an interesting conversation, one which I was determined to have after the interruption this morning, then started to walk across to where she sat waiting. I sat down and twist my fingers together under the table.

"Hey," she said, grinning. "So about this morning. I wanted to tell you something, and then you um… got distracted." She laughed awkwardly and I grimaced. "Tanya's a lovely girl."

"There is nothing there at all, believe me!" I stress the word nothing as much as I could, hoping that she would see the true behind my words. "Anyway, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

"Well…" She looked nervous now, and she blushed violently. "I wanted you to… oh, there you are!" The last part of her sentence was now directed at someone just behind my head. That person walked around the other side of the table and slid himself in next to Bella. "This is Jacob Black! We started dating a week ago and I wanted you guys to get to know each other." I froze, my smile still pasted on my face.

My stomach heaved and I forced myself to speak, albeit woodenly and coldly. "Your boyfriend Bella?" She nodded and giggled as he squeezed her waist gently. I flinched instinctively!

"Yeah! I just know you're going to get on so well." Clearly my exterior was holding together better than I had thought because neither of them had noticed that anything was wrong, but inside I was disintegrating… crashing… burning… dying. In fact, I had already died. Past tense! I sucked in a breath through a clenched jaw and slowly stood to my feet.

"Sorry Bella… Jacob." I could barely even that the guy's name, he had ripped my heart to pieces so thoroughly. "I have to go; I'll talk to you later." Then I practically ran from the table, stopping only once on my path out of the room, as far away from here as I could get. I paused briefly at the table where my sister sat eating with her friends.

"I'm so sorry." Alice was mouthing the words over and over again as she stared desperately at me, trying to catch my eye, but I didn't want to hear it. I tapped Tanya on the shoulder sharply and she turned to see who it was.

"Come with me please? We need to talk!" I asked, my voice bleak and depthless. She smiled, clearly pleased that I had come to her. I should have cared, but I could think anymore. I just knew that I needed to leave, and she was coming with me whether she wanted to or not.

"I told you!" she said simply, the rose from her seat and followed me out through the door and down the hall towards the parking lot and my car. We got in silently and I started the engine, pulling out of the parking space and onto the road leading out of Forks into the mountains.

**AN: OK, so please don't hate me!? This was all planned at the start and I'm going to stick to it. Remember what I said about the ending being what you all want and please don't send me hate mail because I will cry. I promise that there will be no romantic moments between Jacob and Bella, and that Edward will start to get his own way soon. Congratulations to the anonymous but wonderful 'marypoppinscollar', and dedicated reviewers 'Avery Shane' and 'Ali Shaw' who all guessed that she had a boyfriend. Highest congratulations go to the again anonymous 'Your mums a chicken' who guessed exactly right about it being Jacob. I only wish that I could reply to you though because I loved your review. Also, thanks to 'cullensroc' and 'tumblin' di' who made me laugh, they really brightened up a bad day for me! Thanks again… keep reviewing! I love each and every one!**

**Any guesses for where I'm going with this or reactions to this will be greatly appreciated. I actually haven't decided part of the next chapter so any ideas will be duly considered, credited where used of course! Thanks!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**

**PS. I realise that Edward can't become a championship level goal keeper over night but I need you to imagine that he had some majorly mad skills when he was younger. He needs to be on that team for later on in the story. That's all I'm going to say…**

**Also, I want to write a short soccer action sequence and was wondering if anyone knew if there were any differences between soccer and British football. That would be so helpful, thanks!**

**Sorry this AN is so long… I'll let you go now. Peace out!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: So this is a short filler, just to give you all an insight into why Tanya did what she did, from her POV. Review if you like, review if you don't. Thanks so much for all the bleachers/queue/football/soccer info, I really appreciate it all! Enjoy…**

RECAP: "I told you!" she said simply, the rose from her seat and followed me out through the door and down the hall towards the parking lot and my car. We got in silently and I started the engine, pulling out of the parking space and onto the road leading out of Forks into the mountains.

TPOV

Edward drove, and I sat staring out of the window in silence, for half an hour until we reached a small clearing in the wooded gloom that surrounded Forks for miles in all directions. He stopped the car and we got out and went to sit on the grass, near to a large boulder. The sun was shining down warmly upon us but I didn't notice it much. My eyes were fixed on Edward as he slumped back onto his elbows and then lay flat on his back in the muddy, wet grass.

He looked so sad that I felt my heart bleed for him, his eyes so full of pain that I felt the need to comfort him… to hold him… to tell him it was all going to be OK! It wasn't. Bella was with another guy and Edward was mine. I wanted him, needed him, and I had vowed to make him mine that night I saw him sitting alone on that barstool, waiting for something… someone maybe. I had never asked, I had just gone over to him and staked my claim. That was the night… that I started to fall in love with Edward Cullen. I had been a bitch that much I knew, but I couldn't help it, I just needed him to want me back and he hadn't. He had loved Bella instead.

"Tell me everything!" he spat, sitting up suddenly, his eyes ablaze. "How did you know who I was when no one else did? What about Bella? What did you know?"

I sighed, readying myself to tell him everything, without telling him anything. I wanted to be as honest with him as possible, but I couldn't tell him the whole truth. And that truth was that I had recognised him because I had always liked him… that I knew about Bella because I had wanted to know everything about Edward, so doing my research on Bella had just been a part of that… that I had seen the two of them that day in the café because I had thought that it would be Edward that she went to see. I had been wrong!

I knew that I couldn't tell him any of that so I started as close to the truth as I could manage. "I recognised you Edward because I remember your face. I remembered your face and that didn't change! I knew it was you from the moment I saw you in the bar that night." His eyes flicked up to meet mine from where they had been looking down into his lap, as he had been pulling apart daisies with his long fingers, and he frowned.

"You knew then! Why did you kiss me then?" he asked, seeming shocked that I would have even talked to him at the club having been aware of who he was.

"Edward, you seem to have a very low opinion of yourself. You've always been hot; you just never let it shine through before. Look at you now though, that jacket makes you look gorgeous! I kissed you because I wanted to kiss _you, _not because I didn't know who it was. It not that slutty, am I?

"No! I guess not." He seemed apologetic for the unintended insult but still angry with me because of everything else, and with good reason!

"In answer to your second question Edward, I saw…" I struggled to find a word to suit the situation, one that would not cause him to pass even further into depression than he already was. "…them together in a coffee shop one day; the day after we danced at New Moon, I think. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to have to be the one to break your heart. I thought I would let Bella have that honour, considering it was going to be her fault." I knew I was getting bitchy again, but I just couldn't care. "I think you're a nice guy Edward, and I didn't want to hurt you." I just wanted you! I sighed at the thought and he cocked an eyebrow. Shit! I didn't mean to say that aloud.

Then he surprised me yet again by lurching forward until he was kneeling up, just inches from my face and looking me straight in the eyes. Then he whispered the words I so desperately wanted to hear, his breathing laboured and his eyes deep and soulful. "Maybe you can have me, Bella clearly doesn't need me!" Then he bent his head down to capture my lips in a searing kiss, full of passion and emotion.

I could literally feel his feelings, his heart and soul, pouring into the kiss. I felt his anger, his pain, his lust, his confusion; all rolled into the best kiss that I had ever received. The only problem way that it also felt wrong, deep down inside me… I knew that he didn't feel any of this towards me, it was all for someone else. I was merely the outlet for all his frustration and heartbreak, and in the process he was breaking my heart. It was then that I knew that I had to stop it, before I lost what little once of sanity I had left.

I shifted my arms from where I had wrapped them tightly around his neck, placed my palms flat on his shoulders and pushed. At first he didn't respond, but as I pushed harder he eventually pulled his lips away from mine and sat back onto the grass from where he had been kneeling up to kiss me.

"This is wrong Edward," I gasped, trying frantically to get my breath back as he tried to lean back in to kiss me again. I held my arms up, rapidly forgetting why I was holding him back. "You don't like me, you like Bella."

"So, maybe I can learn to like you!" he said, shrugging his shoulders. I could see from his face that he didn't actually believe what he was saying, and I knew that I certainly didn't.

"No, Edward! I don't think you can, as much as I would like you too." As I said the words, I knew that they were true, and my heart broke a little bit more.

"I guess your right!" he said, sounding utterly defeated. I suddenly felt an urge to help him, regardless of how I felt.

"Maybe I can help you win Bella back?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"I doubt it, but you can try!" he replied, with a tiny bit more enthusiasm.

"I'll do my best!" I said cheerfully, confident now that I could at least try to help one of us find our happily ever after, even if mine was beyond my reach now. "So, are we friends?" I asked tentatively, still unsure as to what his reaction would be.

"Sure," He smiled half-heartedly at me, but it was a smile nonetheless. "Friends!"

Then he helped me up off the soggy grass and we made our way back to the car. When we got there he hugged me close and I smiled.

"I'm glad we're friends." He actually seemed sincere about it and I smiled.

"Yeah, me too!" I knew that it would probably kill me to see him with her, but damn… I was going to get this kid his girl if it was the last thing I ever did!

Then we got into the car and drove back towards Forks.

**AN: Thanks for the amazing reviews, keep them coming, I love them all! Thank you!!!**

**I vowed to keep the AN short so all I will say is goodbye, and have a great weekend whenever it starts for you!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Ok, so I know that a lot of the soccer/football/school dates and timings stuff is factually inaccurate, but I would appreciate if you could look past all of that and pretend that I have a clue what I'm talking about. Thanks! So, wow! 150+ reviews! That's big! Thank you so much to every single person who reviewed, ever! I love you all! Please carry on reviewing! It means the world to me, seriously!!!**

**PS. Sorry again about suckish grammar and any missing words/ inconsistencies. I was in a smidge of a rush… again! I know it's not a great excuse when I use it for the fourth time, but it's the best I've got. Sorry!**

**Enjoy…**

RECAP: "Yeah, me too!" I knew that it would probably kill me to see him with her, but damn… I was going to get this kid his girl if it was the last thing I ever did!

Then we got into the car and drove back towards Forks.

EPOV

The next few months passed by fairly quietly, with Tanya and I posing as a couple to placate the rest of the student body, and with her attempting to slowly make friends with Bella. Her idea was that once she had gained Bella's trust, she could find out what her feelings were towards me and plan our attack strategy from there. I wasn't sure that she would find anything out that could help me, but she was so determined that she wanted to do it that I agreed, just to make her happy. It was strange how close we became in the months that followed that day, but I was glad to have her as a friend since Bella and I seemed to have been growing apart at the same time. I loved her even more every single day, but it got harder and harder to see her with… him, and it hurt so much to be around them. Every touch, every kiss, every look that passed between them sliced straight to the core and it became unbearable to even look at them together.

Tanya and I started dropping out of our regular double dates, feigning other more pressing engagements, and eventually they stopped asking us. Soon Tanya saw more of Bella than I did, and it seemed like it would stay this way for the foreseeable future.

Elsewhere around school, I had started soccer practise a week after my heart to heart with Tanya in the woods, and this had gone much better than anyone expected, bar Jasper and Alice of course. I had remembered most of what I had learnt as a child, from playing goal keeper whilst Jasper and Emmett pelted balls at me, and my team seemed impressed with my skills. They had already been in a good position to qualify for the playoffs, and after I had joined we had won all our games to become the favourites to win the championship. The final game was due to take place two weeks before the football championship final, in which Emmett, Jasper and Jacob were all playing. Then two days later, after recovering from the hangovers caused by what everyone hoped would be a huge victory party, the senior prom was to be held in the gym.

The day of the soccer championship final finally arrived and for once I was too hyped up about the game to think about my absent best friend. Tanya met me at home for breakfast, and so I could help her with her disastrous attempt at Spanish homework, then we drove to school in her Lamborghini Gallardo. We car pooled most days now, and neither of us minded much because we were together most of the time anyway. Tanya had also forged a great relationship with Rosalie, who practically lived at my house, so she often visited to see her as well as me.

When we got to school I hurried around to the driver's side and opened her door for her, then I felt a pang of hurt as I remember all of the times that I had done the same for Bella. I brushed it off, and we headed to homeroom. The rest of the day flew by in a haze of extra soccer practises and lunch with Tanya on the lawn outside like we always did, then it was time to head down to the sports field to prepare for the game. We were playing La Push high school in both the football and soccer matches, having not beaten them for over fifty years, so the coaches were working the teams extra hard.

The practise didn't go well; I let in four of the twelve shots at goal that came my way. Coach Clapp kept trying to psyche me up, but I just couldn't seem to concentrate. Eventually, after he threatened me with substitution, I snapped out of my daze just as the crowds started to pile into the stadium and we moved to the dressing room for the team talk. I focused my mind and listened carefully to what the coach had to say, but my mind kept on wandering, thinking about Bella and what she might be doing right now. I had hoped that she would come to the game, but I wasn't sure if she would.

Ten minutes later we were done and we paraded on to the pitch to the cheers of the crowd and the cheerleading squad. Tanya waved at me as I passed and I blew her a kiss, which her friends giggled at and then I was in the middle of the pitch, walking towards the home goal. It was only when I reached the middle that I realised just how big the stadium really was. It wasn't full, it never was unless it was a football game, but nevertheless the sight of a few thousand people watching you was quite a spectacle to behold.

I reached the goal and positioned myself in front of it, knees bent and my mind alert, waiting for the game to start. The two captains, both intimidating and athletic, attempted to crush each other's fingers in the centre; then the whistle sounded and the game began…

EmPOV

I leapt to my feet again as our striker pelted the ball into the top left hand corner, and cheered as loudly as I could along with the rest of the crowd. The game had been a close one throughout, but we had finally edged ahead with a goal in the fortieth minute of the second half. We were going to win, and I was so proud of Edward. Both teams had fought hard, and the only goal that Edward had conceded had been a complicated feint from the opposing team's striker and he had done well to even touch the ball as it flew into the bottom left hand corner.

The team managed to defend well up until just one minute until the end, when their number five intercepted a sloppy pass from that idiot Mike Newton and the ball suddenly ended up at our end, with only Edward in the way of a penalty shootout. I didn't think that he would manage to get through that, he'd looked pretty edgy all game, so I prayed that he could hold on for just long enough to win the game for Forks High, for the first time in God knows how long!

Beside me, Bella sat on the edge of her seat, chewing her lip in earnest. She had asked to sit with us during the game, saying that Jacob had somewhere else he needed to be, and she had been screaming louder than Alice or Rose for the whole game. None of them knew the rules, but they knew when to cheer and when a goal was being scored, and cheer they did.

I watched helplessly as the player kicked, launching the ball towards the goal, towards Edward…

EPOV

I watched as he brought his foot back and kicked the ball towards me like a bullet. I took a breath and instinctively lunged left, anticipating where I though the ball was going. It sped like an arrow towards the right side of the goal and I cursed myself internally for choosing wrong, but then at the last minute it bobbled and shifted course slightly. It hit me square in the stomach, winding me, but I managed to get my hand onto it as I crashed to the ground, stopping it from rolling into the goal.

I lay still for a moment, the realisation of what had just happened not quite sinking in. Then I was being lifted up, onto the shoulders of my teammates, and being carried towards the changing rooms on a tide of cheers and applause echoing around the stadium. We had won… I had won. The emotion hit me like a tornado and I then I was screaming along with everyone else.

We reached the entrance to the changing room and I was reunited with first the ground and then with my family and friends. I was engulfed in a huge bear hug from Emmett in which Rosalie somehow got wedged, then Alice hugged me tightly too whilst Jasper just grinned smugly.

"I told you squirt, never bet against Alice!" he said, and Alice laughed.

"Ok, ok!" I said, now laughing too. "You were right." Then Tanya leapt into my arms followed, to my great surprise, by Bella. She kissed my cheek then stepped back and smiled.

"I missed you!" she said simply and I felt immediately guilty. She was still my best friend, despite everything that had happened between us. Maybe we could find a compromise…

"Me too Bells!" I smiled at her kindly and made my choice once and for all. "Maybe we can meet up for coffee tomorrow or something, just the two of us, and catch up?" I suggested.

"Sounds great," she responded, sounding genuinely excited at the prospect, and then I excused myself to go and fetch my bag from inside the changing room before we all went to TGI's for a meal.

I ran in through the tunnel and headed towards the changing room, eager to return to my friends. Then I heard a high-pitched giggle and I paused, trying to work out where it had come from, all of the other players and their girlfriends had left by now or were in the other parts of the stadium.

I peered around a corner in the corridor, trying to see through the gloom, and that's when I saw them…

**AN: So, I hope you liked it! I wonder if any of you know what will happen next. If you think you do, let me know in the usual way. I would love to hear your thoughts, although I personally think I gave you enough clues to make part of this one pretty obvious! I have a very short (only one line) sneak peek for those who get it partly right, as the second part is practically impossible with out guessing. You can try if you like; I might even write an extra preview for you if you get it! Anyway, if this makes no sense at all, just tell me I'm talking bollocks! (If you're American this is probably the coolest word in the English language, if you're British you might agree with me!)**

**Please review… good and bad. I haven't had any bad reviews yet, and I don't know if that's because there isn't any or if you all just don't put it in to be nice!**

**Once again… I Love You All! Thank you!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: So, I know it's still not quite what you guys wanted, but believe me… this all has a point! Bella and Edward will be together soon… read my bottom AN for good or bad news about the end of the story, depending on which is more important, the story or the ending! Review…and enjoy! Thank you!**

**PS. Oh, that person that asked me for more drama… yeah, they owe me a million virtual cookies for this one! Haha!**

RECAP: I peered around a corner in the corridor, trying to see through the gloom, and that's when I saw them…

EPOV

There, in the darkest part of the tunnel where no light reached from the lit corridor that I was standing in, were two figures pressed against the wall. The one with his back to me had broad muscular shoulders, extremely familiar shoulders I realised with a start, and they blocked my view of the other person so I couldn't quite see who it was. Then it hit me… that set of broad shoulders belonged to Jacob Black, which must mean that Bella was with him.

He bent his head and started kissing up her neck and this exposed the top of her brunette head to me, confirming my suspicions that it was Bella, so I turned to leave them in peace as I had just promised her outside.

Then I realised something else… Bella had just been outside with my family. She couldn't possibly be in two places at once, could she? Then who was with Jacob. Then the brunette giggled again and I remembered where I had heard that irritating voice before. It belonged, I realised with a flash of white hot anger, to Jessica Stanley, a girl in my homeroom class who I had never really spoken to much before but came across as quite a slut if you believed the rumours.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips to hers and I turned away, back down the corridor towards the exit, not wanting to see anymore. I didn't know what to do… should I tell Bella, or not? Should I break her heart and tell her the truth or should I keep quiet and let her stay with a lying, cheating bastard like Jacob? If I had hated him before, then I wanted to murder him now! I stormed towards the door, fuming and fully planning to take Bella in there and show her myself.

Then as I emerged from the doors Bella smiled blissfully at me and I knew in that moment that I couldn't tell her, I could never hurt her like that. So, I just smiled back and kept quiet. We all left the school, me riding shotgun in Alice's Porsche because Tanya had to leave to meet her father and I had ridden to school with her, and after an uneventful meal we returned home.

The next day I was woken up bright and early by my interactive alarm clock, which also goes by the name of Alice, so that I could go and meet Bella for breakfast. I hopped into my Volvo and drove to the lone café in the centre of Forks, where Bella was waiting outside for me. I hugged her quickly but fiercely and then we went in and sat down at a table.

"So, how have you been?" I asked, the moment that the waitress had left, having taken our order.

"Great!" she replied, and we dropped easily into friendly conversation, only pausing briefly when the food arrived, so we could thank the waitress and I could brush off her feeble attempt at flirting. Then, eventually, we arrived at the topic which I had been hoping to avoid. Jacob!

"What do you think of Jake then?" she asked conversationally, after finishing her mouthful and putting her fork down. It was clear from her face that she still had no idea how hard it was for me, I must have been a better actor than I had given myself credit for. I winced, but then attempted to answer her question in the same nonchalant tone that she had used.

"He's… nice." I said vaguely, shrugging my shoulders whilst hoping that she would take the hint and change the subject. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to notice my discomfort and continued enthusiastically.

"I know! He's so wonderful… and kind… and loyal!" she gushed, her eyes lighting up as she listed the features that she believed he possessed. It was positively nauseating. Then, as she spoke the last word, something snapped inside my mind and I lost control.

"Loyal? You don't know the meaning of the word!" I yelled, and she blushed, looking around as if to apologise to the people who were starting to look our way.

"Shh… what do you mean Edward?" she asked as she flapped her arms placatingly, trying to get me to calm down, now both perplexed and embarrassed.

"What do I mean?" I was still shouting, and I had stood up by now. "I mean that your perfect boyfriend is a lying, cheating bastard!" I released in a rush the very words that I had been thinking all night as I lay awake, and then instantly felt guilty and slumped back down into my chair again.

"I don't know what you're talking about Edward. Maybe you're just jealous because we have something special that you will never have!" She was shouting now too, her soft, musical voice sounding harsh and wrong to my ears, as she stood up to look me directly in the eyes. I instantly made my choice and my next words were softer, yet still cold, as I prepared to pour out my soul to her. I had reached the point of no return and I was about to jump.

"Of course I'm jealous Bella, but I wouldn't lie to you about this! Have you really got no idea?" I stated, looking her directly in the eyes.

"No I don't! Explain it to me!" she yelled, her eyes flashing with indignation. I took a deep breath and leapt.

"I love you Bella!" I said simply, before elaborating. "I have loved you since we met and it kills me every time I see you with Jacob. Then when the other day I see him with another girl, I try to tell you for your own good, and now I'm the liar. I will always love you Bells, but I can't do this anymore. We are done!" I had raised my voice again through my little tirade and I was now screaming again. All around us people were whispering, but I couldn't care.

She stared at me, tears streaking down her face and then she spoke, her voice low and unearthly flat. "And Tanya?"

"There never was anything there." I said, truthfully; I was done with all of the pretence. "She is a good friend but there will never be anyone but you Bella. When I close my eyes, your face is the only one that I see." I was close to tears now, so I got up, turned and started to walk towards the door out to the parking lot.

"Wait!" she whispered. I turned, and in her eyes I saw a flicker of something, just for an instant, that looked like a mix of love and sorrow. Then it was gone, as she saw the expression on my own face, and it was as if her face had just died. The light left her eyes and she crumpled down into her chair and started sobbing.

"Goodbye Isabella!" I said, and then I walked out of her life for good.

**AN: OK, so don't hate me please! I know its stringing along a lot now but there are only TWO (you heard!)chapters left. Everything is starting to fall into place and this was just the only way I could do it. I hope to have it finished by the end of the week, so expect an update on Tuesday or Wednesday, then again on Thursday or Friday. That is unless I finish it sooner! Reviews help lots!!! If you haven't reviewed yet, please do and I will write faster.**

**Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, the last chapter hit a record high again… 28 reviews, and it would be so amazing if I could beat that again with this one. Thank you! I love you all!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: I won****'t say much, just longest EVER and enjoy… oh, and review please!!! More later…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

RECAP: "Goodbye Isabella!" I said, and then I walked out of her life for good.

Mystery POV (tbc)

I stared down hungrily at the gorgeous piece of ass lying beside me and bent my head down to kiss her lips hungrily. As we kissed I lifted my leg over her body until I was straddling her waist on my knees, but not placing any of my weight on her; instead supporting myself with my forearms as I lowered myself slowly on to her. She broke off the kiss, flushing and gasping for breath, and I shifted my attention instead to her neck. There I placed soft open mouthed kisses, whilst my hands traced a path of their own across the contours of her bare stomach, causing her to twitch satisfyingly. It pleased me to know that I had the ability to do that to a girl, even after I had seen her several times.

Abruptly, I flipped off her and on to my back and I began to unbutton my jeans, my hands shaking uncontrollably in anticipation. I knew exactly what I wanted and God knew that I would get it. I was Jacob 'fucking' Black, for God's sakes! I always nailed the girl.

"Fuck Bella, do you have any idea what I'm going to do to you?" I whispered hoarsely, my voice breaking as I imagined the possibilities.

"My name…" She was speaking, and I made an effort to listen as best I could through the haze of desire flooding my body. "…is Jessica!" I immediately realized my mistake and felt a tiny twinge of something vaguely resembling remorse, before I realized what a pansy I was being and I pushed it from my mind. I didn't care who she was, or if I sort of wished that it was Bella, all I cared about was getting laid, and that was tonight's goal.

"Whatever!" I said harshly, my voice clearly displaying my irritation and disinterest in whatever her name was. She could have been the Queen of bloody Sheba for all I cared, it didn't matter to me. "Let's just get back to this." I gestured from my bare, sculpted chest to her semi-naked body and back, and then I moved to engage her lips again.

Then I heard the most unexpected and irritating sound I had ever heard in my life. Justin Beiber's 'Favorite Girl' was abruptly blasting through my phone, causing it to vibrate violently, and it edged closer to the edge of my dresser before pitching off onto the floor as I grasped at thin air. I rolled off the bed as I stretched, trying to catch it as it fell, and landed on the floor in a heap. Thankfully I didn't seem to have damaged anything I decided, as I got up trying to look cool then reached for my phone which was still vibrating urgently. Coach would have a fit if I got injured just before the big game, I was the life and soul of the team and they didn't have a hope without me.

"One second babe!" I called to Jessica, who was fussing over her hair and makeup in a small handheld mirror, as I pressed the talk button and lifted it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Jake!" a small voice sobbed down the line. I knew who it was instantly and I experienced a flood of conflicting emotions as I stood there frozen, trying to figure out the situation clinically, working out what to do… what to say.

"What's wrong honey?" I asked, forcing my voice to sound soft and loving as I waited impatiently for her reply. I knew that I should care that my girlfriend was God knows where, sobbing her eyes out, but I just wanted the call to end so I could get back to business.

"I'm in the café in Forks!" she replied and I groaned. She had mentioned something about meeting up with her friend, Edward I think it was, and I hoped futilely that she was calling to tell me that she wanted to break up with me. It would be so much easier on everyone, and then I would be spared the uncomfortable honors that came from having to be the one to say the words to end it. "I had an argument with Edward!" Her voice broke and she started sobbing harder. God, that was unattractive, even down the phone. "Can you come get me?" Aw man, no way was this happening to me.

"Of course Bells," I forced myself to stay calm. Jessica would wait until I took Bella home. "I'll be there in five." I pressed the off button without waiting to hear her reply, then started to zip up my jeans and retrieve my shirt from where I had thrown it under my bed somewhere. "You stay right here!" I commanded Jessica, then I stomped out of my bedroom door and out to my Volkswagen. I jumped in and thanked the powers that be for the provision of that unmissable 'business' trip that had called my dad to sit by the side of a river with a box of fishing tackle all day. As oblivious As I drove through Main Street my mind was back upstairs in my room, with that hot girl who was lying on my bed waiting for me, and I was silent for the whole journey to take Bella home too.

She had been waiting outside the café for me and she slid swiftly into the passenger seat, granting me a chaste peck on the cheek, as I put the car into reverse and backed out of the parking lot and back onto the road. She attempted to start a conversation with me a few times but I wasn't in the mood so I just ignored her and drove as fast as the limit would allow towards her house. When we arrived, she hugged me tightly and thanked me for coming to get her. I smiled weakly and she asked if I wanted to come inside for a while. I hastily declined, a little too hastily in my own mind but she didn't seem to notice, feigning homework and she got out of the car. Once she had unlocked her door and stepped inside I sighed, and sped the whole three minute drive back to my own house.

I jumped out of the VW, patting her affectionately on the hood, and took the stairs three at a time as I hurried up the stairs to finish what I had started.

BPOV

I looked back once and smiled kindly at my boyfriend as he waited loyally for me to go inside my house, despite the fact that he was in a hurry, and then stepped inside. I knew how lucky I was to have a boyfriend that love me enough to take me into town at some unearthly hour and then drop everything to pick me up and I felt guilty for asking. He was obviously busy and I could have walked home, I had just been so upset and in need of someone to look after me.

This thought then reminded me of the reason that I had been so upset and I sniffed again, grabbing a box of tissues from the cupboard in the kitchen before I headed up the stairs to my room… and my bed!

Once tucked in with a pile of man-sized tissues and soppy romance novels, I finally allowed my mind to cross-examine the conversation I'd had with Edward before he had left me alone. He told me he loved me… that he had loved me since we had met! The thoughts and memories all flooded into my mind like a tidal wave and I seized a tissue to mop up a fresh fountain of tears in return.

Why had he waited so damn long to tell me? Why had he lied to me about Jacob, just because he wanted to tell me his feelings? I rolled over the prospect of him being right for a brief moment before I discarded it, feeling awful for even considering it. So what if Edward had been my friend since forever? So what if he loved me? So what if I had loved him back in secret for almost as long? I was with Jacob now and I loved him… didn't I? Edward was just jealous of what we shared, just like I had told him, and he was lying to try and turn me against Jacob. I wasn't going to let my ex best friend damage my relationship with my boyfriend. I would just distance myself from Edward for the time being!

With my decision made, I got up and went down to get tea on for Charlie when he returned from a fishing trip with Jacob's dad Billy. I had been in bed for a long time and it was a Saturday, things needed doing… like washing!

JacobPOV

I slipped open the door a crack and Jessica slid through it, out into the street, looking around furtively to ensure that no one was watching. When she was sure that there was no one about, she leant up onto her tiptoes to kiss me quickly, and then pulled away.

"I'll see you at the after party right?" she asked me huskily, her hair flopping sexily into her eyes as she spoke. I reached up a hand and brushed it out of the way as I answered. I had forgotten momentarily about the big game in a week's time and I grinned.

"Uhuh!" I knew it wasn't a very comprehensive answer but my mind was spinning again with the images that the prospect conjured up in my mind. She shuffled forwards fractionally to whisper something in my ear. I lowered my head and she placed her lips by my ear. I shivered, equally as much from her warm breath on my skin as from her words.

"If you guys win, I'll make the reward well worth your while!" Then she kissed my neck once again and strolled off down the road to her car, which was parked a few feet from mine, in just her six inch stilettos and trench coat; then disappeared into it and drove away. I smirked and turned to go back inside; we were going to win now alright, I would make sure of it.

EPOV

The house was heaving and there were people everywhere. Loud dance music blasted from the stereo system and Emmett was chugging beer in the corner with most of his team mates. Forks High had won the championship by a landslide and everyone was psyched and ready for a party to remember for years to come. I slid between two of the sweaty grinding upperclassmen and made my way to the kitchen to grab a beer which I knew hadn't been spiked. The last thing I wanted was to lose focus whilst there was a wild party in my home, my parents would never forgive me if someone trashed the house and I was passed out somewhere in the garden or something.

Just before I got there I saw Jacob Black and that slut Jessica Stanley hand in hand, heading towards the stairs leading down to the basement. Down there were the spare bedrooms and stuff that people could use if they couldn't contain their lust during the course of the evening, whilst not defiling either my bed or my parent's beds. Urgh! Alice's room, however, was already firmly in use and I was sure that Emmett's would be too before the end of the evening. That left me as the responsible adult, looking after the house whilst my parents were in London on a weekend break to leave the house free for us to party in.

I turned my attention back to the two silent figures as they covertly made their way away from the party, and from Bella, who I knew was somewhere out there in the seething mass of bodies. I felt an urge to go and find Bella, or punch out a few of Jacob's teeth… or both, but I knew I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt Bella again, and I had promised to stay out of her life, so I let them go without incident. I wanted Bella to be happy, and if that's what it took so be it!

I shoved my way through the rapidly enlarging crowd of my peers, retrieving a vase of Esme's that had not been put away from the clutches of an already drunk junior. After putting it safely in a cupboard and locking the door again to prevent a mass smashing, I found Tanya on the dance floor and started to enjoy myself as we laughed and danced.

About twenty minutes later, I caught sight of Bella as she was talking to one of our fellow seniors, Angela Webber. She looked upset, and despite my promise I wanted to be sure she was OK, so I pulled on Tanya's arm and we danced our way towards the edge of the crowd.

"Do you… Jacob Black?" I could only hear snippets over the pounding bass of the stereo, but from her facial expression and hand gestures I had worked out what was being said. She had noticed that Jacob was missing and had asked Angela if she had seen him. I prayed that Angela didn't know, and that I could talk to Bella myself, but fate was not to be on my side once again.

"Yeah, I think I saw him heading towards the basement!" Angela said, clearly only trying to be helpful, but I knew the expression on Bella's face well enough to know that her words had hit home. Bella knew!

"The basement… are you sure?" She was desperately trying to hold herself together, but her façade was crumbling. The wave of pain broke over her beautiful face and she heaved in a pained breath.

"I'm pretty sure," Angela replied, picking up on Bella's increasing desperation, and her face fell too. I could tell that she knew exactly what she had just done, but there was nothing she could do to stop it now. "Sorry!" she whispered, and then hurried off into the crowd again, eager to avoid confrontation. Bella whirled around towards the direction of the kitchen and the basement, and I followed her, desperate to stop her if I could.

She shouldn't have to find out like this! The thought was playing in a loop through my mind as I ran after her, my heart pounding with adrenaline. I reached out and grabbed her arm as she reached the top of the stairs. Her head jerked around so that she could look me directly in the eyes, and her eyebrows jerked up in surprise when she realized it was me.

"Don't Bella!" I begged, pleading to her with both my eyes and my voice to listen to me, although I knew that it was already a lost cause. "Please, just don't go down there?" She shook her head furiously, from side to side, and then fixed me with a steely gaze, determination rekindled in her eyes.

"Let me go Edward!" she said, then wrenched her arm free from my grasp and disappeared down the stairs, to her ultimate devastation. I just stood there, frozen, as I watched her go… unable to do anything to stop her.

Moments later I heard a scream and then I was being shoved out of the way by a tear-stricken Bella, who was quickly followed by Jacob wearing only his boxers. He ran after her, through the front door and out into the cold, black evening, begging her to let him explain… to stop. Then Jessica came hurrying up the stairs, trying to wrap her exposed body up in her coat as she did so, stumbling several times in her haste. I knew that I should have gone to help her, to be the gentleman, but I couldn't make my legs work for me.

"Why, Jessica?" I asked, morbidly curious now to see what her reason would be. "Why did you do it?" She hesitated and then looked down as she answered in a hushed tone.

"Because I wanted you!" she stated simply. "I thought that by getting Jake out of the picture I could make you mine." I just stared at her blankly, stunned into silence. Was she really stupid enough to think that would work? What could have possibly possessed her to think that that was the best way to 'make me hers'? I shook my head and laughed without any trace of humor in my voice.

"You thought wrong! Just leave, please?" I turned away just in time to see Jacob coming back inside out of the night. I could see from the specks on his jacket that it was starting to rain and my immediate concern was for Bella, who was still out there somewhere.

"Edward, help me find Bella please?" His voice almost sounded concerned for a moment but I wasn't fooled again, he had no feelings at all for her.

"No!" I said, clearly and calmly, so that both of them could understand me without confusion. "You will take Jessica home and then you will stay away from Bella. If you go near her again I'll kill you."

"No," A loud, gruff voice spoke up from behind me and Emmett stepped past me to square up to Jacob. He was at least six inches taller and clearly he had the advantage in almost every way here. "If you go near her again, I will kill you!" he said. Jacob blanched and tried to step back but Emmett had grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the wall. Clearly I had underestimated Emmett's strength because although Jacob struggled, he couldn't get away. Emmett lifted his arm and pulled it back, preparing to punch the living daylights out of him.

Rosalie then stepped out of the shadows of the dance floor and laid a hand on Emmett's tensed forearm and he relaxed under her touch. "Let him go Em, it's not worth it!" Emmett dropped both his arms and Jacob hurried out of the room, dragging Jessica with him. I suddenly came to my senses and grabbed my coat, running for the door as I pulled it on. Bella!

Once I had reached the street I was unsure as to which way to go, but on instinct I headed towards the forest, hoping to find her under the trees. My luck must have been changing because a few moments later I heard loud sobs issuing from behind a tree, not far from the trail. Bella lay on the ground, curled up into a tight ball, with her knees tucked into her chest as she wept.

I lowered myself down to the ground and gently touched her shoulder. "Bella?" I asked worried that she wouldn't want me to be there, that she would ask me to go away. I knew that I would if she asked! I would do anything she asked! She blinked and shifted towards me, enabling me to see her blotchy face and bloodshot eyes in the moonlight. She still looked as beautiful as ever to me.

"Oh Edward," she wailed and threw her arms around me, locking them in a vice-like grip around my neck. "Stay with me!" I nodded, gazing intently down at her small face, so innocent and her eyes which were pleading.

"Sure!" I assured her, and pulled her cold, wet body closer to mine, holding her in my lap as she let loose her pain and heartbreak into the storm that was brewing around us. I would hold her forever if she needed me…

**AN: Sooo… what did you guys think? I ****worked really hard trying to put more emotion into it and I hope it worked, I was crying by the end as I wrote it. Review please and tell me what you think. If people don't I will cry, and then I might not feel writing the last part for a while. There you go, there's your incentive. Review and the chapter will get done faster!!! Promise! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I loved them all and I got my first criticism which I was very excited by.**

**If you've never reviewed before, please do! If you're an unregistered visitor to the site you can still review, please just press that lovely green button now! Thanks!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Last chapter… enjoy! More later…**

RECAP: "Sure!" I assured her, and pulled her cold, wet body closer to mine, holding her in my lap as she let loose her pain and heartbreak into the storm that was brewing around us. I would hold her forever if she needed me…

BPOV

In the week after the horrific events of the football after party, the graphic images of which I still can't seem to burn from my memory, Edward and I had become as inseparable as we had been before everything changed over Spring Break, or maybe even more so. We had finally sat down and had the awkward conversation that we both knew had been fast approaching since Edward's outburst in the café, and it hadn't been as uncomfortable as I had originally feared. We had both returned to that same café, as two single best-friends, and he had explained everything to me that he hadn't been able to say.

"Everything I did was for you Bella." He began, his voice slightly shaky, but becoming more assured as he spoke. "The clothes, the hair, the attitude, the sports… everything I changed about myself over Spring Break was for you." I had blushed profusely at his all too honest words, but I didn't say anything of my own feelings throughout his entire confession. "I know that you don't feel the same way Bella, but I do love you and I always will." He spoke so sincerely that it tugged at my heart to hear him say those words, but I merely smiled and looked down as he made eye contact with me.

In reality my mind was in turmoil. I had always loved him as the brother I'd never had, and at times it had begun to feel like more. I had loved having him as a friend, but there had been moments when I had wished that he had liked me as more than that. Now that I knew that those feelings had been there all along, it made me wonder what might have happen if I'd had the courage to tell him how I felt.

In fact, the more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that those dreams and muses could still become a reality. I just had to decide if I still felt the same way that I had before… before Jacob Black, and if I was ready to make that decision after being hurt that way. I didn't want to get my heart broken again and I knew that Edward wasn't that sort of guy, but even he could make mistakes, and I could bear that again.

I finally decided that I didn't have to decide now, and that I could think more about it after prom, which was tomorrow. Edward and I were going as friends as neither of us had dates and Tanya had been asked by Tyler Crowley, a friendly guy in my homecoming class whom Tanya seemed to like. We were all going together with Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice, who was so excited that she could barely stand still when she came to deliver my personalized prom dress.

I had been terrified when Alice had burst through my bedroom door, followed by an apologetic looking Charlie, laden with boxes and bags, but it hadn't been so bad. I had been stuffed swiftly into a dress, and then told to stand still for fifteen minutes or so, before being unceremoniously shoved in front of the mirror to 'see what I thought'. When I had caught my balance and started to look closer at my reflection, I realized that Alice had been right about the dress being perfect. It was! It was a gorgeous dark blue bodice dress with delicate silver detailing, and it fit me like a glove. In an instant I had fallen in love with it, and Alice had had a fight on her hands to get me to take it off. Suddenly I felt so much better about the prom after all!

The day of the prom dawned and Alice turned up at my house at six in the morning to whisk me away on a fun-filled day of spa treatments, massages, mani-pedis and facials. I had expected this to be torture also but, like with the dress, Alice had surprised me by making the time go by so fast that I didn't even have time to feel bored or uncomfortable. In fact, I had sort of enjoyed it.

Finally, the clock ticked around to seven pm and Edward arrived at my house, looking dashing in a white starched shirt and tuxedo, with a beautiful corsage to match my dress. He gave it to me with a soft kiss on the cheek and then helped me into his idling Volvo which was parked up on the drive. Then, after what seemed like only moments, we had reached the school and we entered together, both equally as nervous as each other. Me, simply because I was not the most coordinated person in the world… far from it, and Edward, because he was not used to this kind of thing. He had skipped the junior prom the previous year, claiming to have work to do, so he was visibly uneasy as we had our photo taken near the door.

Then we joined Tanya and Tyler, who looked extremely happy as they sat together in deep conversation, and Edward's family as they sat in a far corner. I had been chatting to Alice for a while before Edward tapped me on the shoulder and invited me to dance, which I accepted. We gravitated towards the dance floor, and then swayed to the slow song that was playing for several minutes, before I looked up at Edward and placed my arms gently around the back of his neck and pulled him a little closer to me. Then I made the mistake of looking him in the eyes, losing my train of thought completely.

I looked away, and shook my head slightly, clearing it then looked back up at him. I'd had enough time to think; I had finally made my decision, and now was the time to act. I stretched up on tiptoes to whisper a question in his ear and he smiled, and then nodded.

EPOV

"Do you still carry you're glasses around with you?" she asked, and I nodded, smiling as I remembered the time when I used to wear a pair of thick black-rimmed glasses all the time, despite the fact that I didn't really need them. It had just been something to hide behind. "Good!" she continued, smiling along with me. "Can you put them on?" I crinkled my nose in confusion but did as she asked regardless. I was sure that I looked like a complete idiot, but if it made Bella happy then I would do it a thousand times over.

"You know Edward," She had begun to speak softly again, and I looked back at her attentively, in order to catch every word she said. "I love all the effort you went to for me… I really do!" I was struggling now to see where she was heading with this but I waited patiently anyway. She lifted a finger up and gently traced my jaw with it as she spoke. "However, I've always preferred Clark Kent to Superman." she finished, and then pulled my head down roughly until our noses were just touching.

"Bella?" I questioned cautiously, concern evident in my voice. "Are you sure that this is what you want?" Despite the fact that I wanted this more than anything, I had to be sure that it was for the right reasons, and not because of everything that had happened.

"Yes," she whispered huskily. "I'm sure!" Then she lent towards me and brushed her lips softly against mine. I sighed, and lifted my hands from her waist to cup her face in my palms, pressing my lips more firmly against hers. I tilted my head to the side, and she ran the tip of her tongue lightly across my bottom lip, seeking access which I granted eagerly. Our kiss deepened, tongues meeting in a battle of dominance, both of us pouring all of our pent up emotion and love into that kiss. When we finally broke off, gasping for air, I rested my forehead against hers, reluctant to break contact in case it proved to be my last. Part of my was still sure that this was all some kind of dream or a mistake and that I would wake up in the morning to find that we were still merely friends, but her next words calmed my fears and I smiled.

"I love you Edward!" she breathed, her breath tickling my nose as she spoke. I felt a warm tingling feeling spread throughout my entire body, as I responded in the only way that I knew how.

"I love you too Bella." As I said the words, I knew in my heart that I meant them, and always would.

THE END

**AN: Ok, so I know it wasn't the longest or the most exciting chapter ever, but it is the end of the story. Tell me what you thought of the chapter, or if you haven't reviewed yet, do one for this chapter and tell me what you thought of the story as a whole. Thanks!**

**On the subject of a sequel, because some of you asked, I would be open to writing on if I have enough interest but it wouldn't be for a while. Some of you may know that I am currently working on my own novel, so that would take precedence for a while, so the sequel wouldn't get a look in for at least a few months. Also, I have no idea where I would go from here; I have a few ideas but nothing conclusive, so an input or ideas would be awesome. Thanks!**

**I will leave this as an un-complete story for a week, then I will post a final AN telling you my plans for the sequel, so look for that soon. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited and alerted my story throughout. I love you all and I am so grateful for every single one of you. Thank you!!!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**

**PS. All pictures are on my profile; save the ones from this chapter which will be up tomorrow some time… look for them then!**


	17. Sequel Info

**OK. So… I know I said that I wouldn't make a decision on a sequel or not for a few days at least, but again I changed my mind. I spent ages yesterday thinking over all of your suggestions and I have decided that there WILL be a sequel. It will go under the title of: 'Greek to Granddad' (Nice, I know! It took ages to come up with!) and it will ****document the next stage of Edward's life. However, that has been done so many times, so mine is going to have some big twists and hopefully will be completely unexpected. I hope you guys will like it. Please author alert me to be alerted to that when I start writing it soon. In reality, the chance of me staying away for a few months is unrealistic so it probably won't be that long.**

**Also, I have a few OCs that I plan to add in and a couple of them I still need names for. So… review this AN and tell me your first name and in one sentence sum up why you love twilight so much. The three that I like best I will use, with credit to you of course, in the sequel. Thank you!**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has read this and please consider favoriting it if you haven't already, so more people can see and read it. Thank you!**

**Charlotte-xoxo**


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